When you're dealing with new and emerging diseases, you have no idea and you can't predict in advance what would happen.

HIV AIDS is a disease with stigma. And we have learned with experience, not just with HIV AIDS but with other diseases, countries for many reasons are sometimes hesitant to admit they have a problem.

Influenza pandemics must be taken seriously precisely because of their capacity to spread rapidly to every country in the world.

I have a reputation for being a straight-talker.

After all it really is all of humanity that is under threat during a pandemic.

[we have]taming of an ancient disease [malaria] that over the centuries has killed untold millions of people.

The WHO is the lead agency in health in the United Nations system, and clearly we have very important functions to play.