Several African First Ladies have arrived in Accra for a high-level side event ahead of the 23rd International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA), which opened this week in the Ghanaian capital.
Her Excellency Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, First Lady of Sierra Leone and President of the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD), together with Her Excellency Fatoumatta Bah Barrow, First Lady of The Gambia, were among the first dignitaries to arrive on Thursday.
The meeting, hosted by Ghana’s First Lady, H.E. Lordina Dramani Mahama, will focus on Ending Mother-to-Child Transmission (MTCT) and advancing the Triple Elimination of HIV, Syphilis, and Hepatitis B across the continent.
The high-level engagement seeks to highlight the role of women in leadership in combating stigma, abuse, and neglect faced by victims of HIV and other infections—particularly women and children.
Discussions will also explore strategies to strengthen the protection of their rights in society.
Mrs. Mahama and her Lordina Foundation have been widely recognised for their decade-long advocacy in health promotion and humanitarian support for vulnerable communities.
In 2013, she was appointed a Health Ambassador to support the Heart-to-Heart campaign, championing the cause of people living with HIV in Ghana.
As President of the Organisation of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS (OAFLA) in 2016, she delivered an influential address at the 7th Africa Conference on Sexual Health and Rights in Accra, calling for a proactive continental response to HIV and stronger support for the sexual and reproductive rights of young people.
In addition to the First Ladies of Sierra Leone and The Gambia, the First Ladies of Kenya and Liberia, as well as a former First Lady of South Africa, are also in Accra to participate in the discussions, which form part of the broader ICASA agenda aimed at accelerating Africa’s public-health response.
Source :www.kumasimail.com
