From the beginning, the human race has had to contend with survival, disease, and death. Through the ages, populations were decimated and became extinct. Leaving behind only remnants of their cultures. It is difficult to establish at what point in history medicine appeared, but we have some record of diseases treated in parts of the world as far back as 2000 years bc. Throughout centuries, navigation developed, and epidemics of cholera, yellow fever, and plague began to spread. Nations realized there was a need to fight these diseases together. 1851, the First InternationalHealth Conference was held in paris. In 1919, a new strain of influenza affected many victims. The league of nations considered issues, but after the second world war, United Nations conference drew up a plan for an International Health body. In september 1947, when cholera broke out in egypt, the who sprang into action. It could not afford to await for its formal constitution, signed april 7, 1948. The day since has been celebrated as world health day. June 1948, the First World Health assembly opened in geneva with 53 countries represented. The suffering of millions of human beings and scores of countries will be alleviated, and many lives will be saved. [applause] quarantine regulations were drawn up to curb the spread of communicable diseases, but the root causes of ill health had to be tackled. The only enemy worth fighting are ill health, poverty, and ignorance. Malaria, a fatal disease, was a top priority facing the organization. In the early 1950s, spectacular successes were achieved through the spring of ddt. In 1955, fearful mosquitoes would develop resistance, the who launched a Global Campaign to eradicate malaria. The dream was not to be. By the late 1960s, it was clear eradication is not possible. Controlling malaria it was a more realistic approach. Smallpox, one out of four people it touched died. The rest were marked for life. Millions were affected. In 1958, countries started mass vaccination campaigns to wipe out the disease worldwide. To vaccinate everyone on earth proved an overwhelming task. In 1967, the who launched a new campaign and a different approach, contain the disease. Stop the chain of transmission. Every case had to be tracked down. Everyone had to be found and vaccinated. Research went on everywhere. Even financial rewards were offered for those reporting cases. The question was asked over and over again, have you seen anyone who looks like this . music stepbystep, the disease was pushed back to the very last case. With this person, a chain as old as mankind was broken, smallpox was no more. May 8, 1980, the director general of the w hoho signed a certificate of eradication. [applause] the saving of human suffering has no price. Important as the elimination of smallpox was, hundreds of millions in less developed countries were trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty and disease. Most people had no access to basic health care. Average Life Expectancy hovered at 50. Many died, and many children died before reaching adolescence. Something had to be done. A new longterm plan that would benefit everyone. The goal was set by the World Health Assembly in 1977 for the year 2000, and a year later, the way ahead was declared. music in villages, the new fish on vision began to take root, a vision based on men and women trained to care for health problems. 40 years ago, the who was created to help build a healthier world. Where are we today . World population has reached 5 billion. Remarkable progress has been made in science. Yet the Health Picture varies widely. In industrialized nations, millions are invested in medical technology, but blatant inequalities remain. music hightechnology takes us ahead, but it also takes its toll. Nuclear accidents have lasting threats to health. music in response, groups are demanding control over their health. Individuals are taking personal action. In the poor nations, the picture is different. Three quarters of the worlds population received less than 10 of the worlds budget for health. Women have a 200 times greater risk of dying during pregnancy and childbirth than women in rich nations. While these countries still face the disease of poverty, they must learn to confront the diseases of affluence, fueled by western lifestyles. For the first time in their history, these countries must battle yesterdays diseases and tomorrows diseases at the same time. music today, the world is facing a grave, new threat. The aids virus. We dont know where it came from, but we do know that it brings suffering and death. More than half of the people diagnosed with aids have died. Fortunatelyit can spread through sex, blood, and from mother to child. Only a few ways. The aids virus is already present on every continent. Governments acting individually cannot stop its spread. The only way he can be stopped in any country is for it to be stopped in all countries. From who, the call has gone up to the family of nations and to individuals, a call that says we know how to stop aids, and what is now required is responsible actions at the individual, national, and international levels. Over the past 40 years, the who has shown what can be achieved through international cooperation, eradication of smallpox, a in Child Mortality through immunization and other controls. A confidence to promote safe motherhood in developing countries. Treatment at home, and many other similar lowcost solutions to numerous to mention. The millions of lives saved and the untold suffering avoided can be achieved through involving people in their own health development, cooperation between countries, research and proper use of appropriate technology, strengthening health systems, that is the whos primary health care approach. music over the past 40 years, we have learned the difficulty in who that development, including health develop at, cannot be achieved by proxy. It has to be carried out by the people concerned themselves, but to help them do that in a selfreliant way, the who has shown him how much they themselves can do to improve their own health, and so it has promoted research and development, leading to a stream of low cost technologies that can be adapted to different social, economic situations. And afford, even by the poorest countries. But most important, the who has shown how to set up the permanent structures required in the Health Sector and other sectors to make sure that Technology Becomes accessible to the masses, and not just the privileged few. The declaration on primary health care, now 10 years old, clearly maps out the road on which we are firmly engaged. Everywhere, north to south, east to west, recognize beyond differences that health is good and essential for human progress. Both economic value and social justice. We must all recognize that even if health is not everything, there is nothing without it. In the interest of the human race, there must be health for all and all for health. music n