WHO: Global Health-Sector Strategy for HIV/AIDS 2003-2007
Providing a Framework for Partnership and Action

(The World Health Assembly will consider this GHSS document in May
2003)

Conscious of the need to define and strengthen the role of the health
sector within a broad multisectoral response to HIV/AIDS, the World
Health Assembly adopted a resolution in May 2000 (WHA53.14)
requesting the Director General of WHO to develop a strategy for
addressing HIV/AIDS as part of the United Nations systemwide effort
to combat the pandemic.

The resulting Global Health-Sector Strategy (GHSS) for HIV/ AIDS
described in this document is only one of a number of important
initiatives that have emerged since the United Nations Special
Session on HIV/AIDS in 2001, and has been developed by WHO, in
consultation with a wide range of stakeholders, in a spirit of
renewed determination.

The World Health Assembly will consider this GHSS document in May
2003. The global community in general and the health sector in
particular now have an exceptional opportunity to redouble their
efforts against a devastating global pandemic and to show what can be
achieved through bold leadership and concerted action.

Aim of the Global Health-Sector Strategy
The aim of the Global Health-Sector Strategy (GHSS) is to strengthen
the response of the health sector to the challenges posed by HIV/AIDS
as part of an overall multisectoral effort. Within this overarching
aim four specific objectives have been identified:

to advise health ministries on the core components of an effective
health-sector response to HIV/AIDS;

to support health ministries in developing the policy, planning,
priority-setting, implementation and monitoring frameworks needed to
generate such a response as part of overall national strategic plans;

to enhance and promote the comparative advantages, expertise and
experience that health ministries can contribute to national
strategic planning for HIV/AIDS;

to help the health sector to meet the goals contained in the United
Nations General Assembly Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS.

In support of these objectives the Strategy describes the support
that WHO will offer, outlining a series of steps, issues and Action
Points for health ministries and others in the health sector to
consider, especially during the development or updating of national
strategic plans for HIV/AIDS. The Strategy can be used on a section-
by-section basis to review policies and actions on specific topics –
for example, priority-setting; human resourcing; or the allocation of
roles and responsibilities.

MORE INFORMATION

http://www.who.int/hiv/pub/advocacy/ghss/en/
- Download PDF file in English (32 pages, 315 kb)