ABSTRACT

The sheer scale of the AIDS infection, knowing no human or geographical boundaries, demands a world response. The UN’s co-ordinating role in prevention and treatment is now acknowledged and contributed to by 180 nations. This pandemic (worldwide epidemic) is being addressed by a mammoth UN Global Programme against AIDS (GPA) operated through the World Health Authority (WHO), a UN Specialized Agency with 189 memberstates. This chapter looks at the spread of the disease and goes on to describe its nature and some possible means of treatment. The economic and social impact are discussed. Finally, the UN’s impressive global programme is examined.