Governments urged to issue scientifically proven messages on preventing HIV/AIDS

The World Medical Association, meeting in South Africa, has reiterated its call to all governments to work in harmony with health professionals, their representative organisations and the community in preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS.

At its annual Assembly in Sun City, the WMA adopted a resolution emphasizing that to ensure prevention, the diagnosis, counselling and treatment of patients with HIV/AIDS was undertaken only by appropriately trained physicians and other healthcare personnel and that HIV/AIDS patients were provided with accurate, relevant and comprehensive information to enable them to make informed decisions about their treatment.

The meeting, attended by physician delegates from 42 nations, also urged all governments to identify and eliminate barriers that prevented people from coming forward for testing and treatment.

Dr Kgosi Letlape, past President of the WMA and current chairman of the South African Medical Association, said:

• Prevention is the key to HIV/AIDS and it is vital that vigorous messages on prevention and management are clear, unambiguous and scientifically proven

• In Africa in particular, no HIV strategy will succeed without the empowerment of women