HIV/AIDS round-table of African First ladies opens in Kigali
Kigali, Rwanda (PANA) - A round-table gathering members the Organization of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS (OAFLA) opened Monday in Kigali on the sidelines of the week-long International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA).
The conference theme "AIDS Free Africa - Innovation, Community, and Political Leadership" engages the whole continent and all stakeholders in the Post-SDG Framework, where sustainability of the response in reaching 90, 90, 90 UNAIDS will not be possible if Human rights are not key priority for a new of leadership in the context of strengthening the application of science-based evidence.
The 90-90-90 target initiated by the UNAIDS is a treatment target to help end the AIDS epidemic. Under the plan by 2020, 90% of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status, 90% of all people with diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy and 90% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression.
Among the African First Ladies at the conference are Mrs Antoinette Sassou N'guesso of Congo Brazzaville, Mrs Hinda Deby Itno of Chad, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo of Ghana, Mrs Neo Masisi of Botswana and Mrs Jeannette Kagame of Rwanda.
First ladies across Africa are currently spearheading a campaign to stop children acquiring HIV, prevent AIDS-related deaths and keep mothers healthy across Africa, with the objective to be a united voice for Africa’s most susceptible citizens: women and children living with and affected by HIV and AIDS.
OAFLA has evolved to become an institution that is able to offer a continent-wide leadership in terms of advocacy in the areas of HIV and a broad range of maternal and child health intervention.
-0- PANA TWA/MA 2Dec2019
