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REMARKS BY: DONNA E. SHALALA, SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES PLACE: Pan-American Sanitary Conference, Washington, D.C. DATE: September 21, 1998
I can't start my remarks today without first thanking Dr. Alleyne and the Caribbean delegations in particular for sharing with our country one of the greatest baseball players of all times. Of course, I am talking about the Dominican right fielder for the Chicago Cubs, the great Sammy Sosa. As you may know, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals, were locked-in all year in a friendly race to make baseball history by breaking the record for the most home runs hit in one season.
All season, my country was obsessed with this rivalry. But the two players were not. In fact, Sosa and McGwire seemed to be working more as partners than rivals. They cheered each other on and delighted in each other's success. That's the spirit of true sportsmanship. And I believe, it's the perfect example of the good-will and cooperation that brings us together today.
The last time we were here, we chose Dr. Alleyne to lead us as Director of PAHO. During his extraordinary four years of service, he has broadened the definition of good health in the Americas to include a healthy environment, and an end to poverty. And during his tenure, our hemisphere continued on the path to good health: Our immunization rates have increased. Our malnutrition rates have decreased. And, children, mothers and babies are all healthier. That's why my delegation is proud to be supporting his re-election this year.
I'm also very happy to be sharing the stage with Dr. Gro Brundtland. Over a year ago, we called for a new Director-General for WHO - one with a tight fist, a large heart, a clear vision and a strong voice. A voice for the most vulnerable citizens and the countries in greatest need. And a voice that would resonate with every citizen in the world. In Dr. Brundtland we got everything we asked for. In fact, I was particularly pleased to hear Dr. Brundtland, in her opening speech to the World Health Assembly, commit to a world-wide effort to end the major cause of pre-mature death in our hemisphere, and world-wide: Tobacco use.
We share Dr. Brundtland's commitment in the United States. In fact, we are redoubling our efforts to curb tobacco use by young people. And we know that our efforts can not stop at our borders. Every day in this world thousands of young people light up their first cigarettes. If current trends continue, about 250 million children alive in the world today eventually will be killed by tobacco. We must join together across the Americas, and across the globe to help our children resist the lure of tobacco. For our part, President Clinton has ordered US embassies to stop promoting tobacco abroad.
And, my Department is committed to working with PAHO, WHO, UNICEF, the World Bank and the UN Foundation to help protect the world's children from tobacco. For example, we are looking forward to working with WHO and others on the "International Framework Convention for Tobacco Control."
We know that diseases don't care about borders. They don't distinguish between rich and poor. They don't make a distinction between Canadian or Caribbean. South America and South Bronx.
Octavio Paz, the Nobel laureate from Mexico once said, "The past has left us orphans, as it has the rest of the planet, and we must join together in inventing our common future." This is especially true when it comes to public health.
We must - and we will -- join together to invent a healthier common future. We must expand worldwide access to immunizations. We must extend access to health services - for all. We must empower women and their families with economic, educational and social rights and progress. We must eliminate violence in the home, and against women and young people. And, whether it's the ancient scourges of tuberculosis and cholera, or the new, emerging infectious diseases like Hanta Virus, we must - and we will -- escalate our global fight against infectious diseases. Let us work to link up our national and regional surveillance systems, forge global partneships and harness global experts for this common cause.
Just last month, our country and the world mourned the loss of two of the great pioneers of the global fight against AIDS: Dr. Jonathan Mann and, his wife, Dr. Mary Lou Clements-Mann. We all knew them as committed scientists whose work with CDC, WHO, and in academia, escalated the world-wide battle against AIDS. But, they will be remembered not only for their scientific expertise, but for their passion and compassion. They pioneered the concept of health as a human rights issue.
Today, in their name, let us resolve to continue their battle against AIDS, and against every disease and illness that threatens the dignity, the strength and the humanity of our countries -- and of our continents.
Today, we will begin to win that battle. And, we will win in the spirit of the Sosa- McGwire partnership. Our nations are as diverse and divergent as their hometowns of Claremont, California and San Pedro in the Dominican Republic. But, like the love of baseball unites these players, our nations are united by our quest for good life and good health for all of our people. If we continue to work together, if we continue to succeed, and share in each other's success, our work will also go down in the history books.
Thank you.