WHO Targets AIDS, Smoking, Malaria

GENEVA — The World Health Organization called Saturday for more concerted international action against AIDS, malaria and smoking-related diseases, while also raising concerns about cloning.

Closing its annual conference, the WHO presented a long list of action needed to fight the most formidable health problems, including HIV, the virus that has infected about 34 million people worldwide and threatens to reverse social and economic developments in Africa.

The 191-nation assembly said more must be done to improve access to drugs to treat AIDS and related illnesses in developing countries.

The assembly also urged governments to introduce more measures such as healthy eating programs and tobacco taxation. And delegates discussed plans for the WHO to become more active on issues such as human cloning.