The Vice President, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, has admonished African leaders to advance their focus on discipline, scaling integrated, sustainable responses that can engage HIV, TB and malaria, to position Africa for long term health resilience.
The conference which seeks to advocate for sustainable solutions to fill the gap left by the withdrawal of critical AIDS funding within Africa has 85 countries participating.
The 23rd International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa kicks off in Ghana as African leaders seek sustainable solutions to the impact of the disease on the continent.
Over 3000 delegates, including first ladies, ministers, scientists, policy makers, and CSOS from 85 countries, are in the country to participate in the conference.
Speaking at the opening ceremony held in Ghana, she noted that Africa must form its agenda, define its priorities, and build strong, sustainable Self Reliance systems across the world.
‘‘This is our chance to devote to rethink, redesign and rebuild a sustainable financial foundation for the next generation of health innovations such as HIV self-care, and long acting injectable to drive prevention. Yet the pandemic increases and progress is uneven.’’ She said.
The Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh said Ghana is now advancing through critical reforms, visualizing the National HIV and AIDS Fund to provide practical domestic financing for treatment, prevention, integrating essential HIV services and progressively selected HIV commodities in the National Health Insurance Scheme to guarantee for the HIV response.
‘‘Let this conference be the moment where evidence guide our decisions, Community Voices shape our strategies and our shared vision of health, empowering Africa despite our collective action together. We can build a continent where HIV and AIDS are no longer threatening lives aspirations or developing Africa where health sovereignty is realized.”He said.
Currently, 26million people are living with the disease in Africa. With 63% of the figure being women and girls. The ICASA conference will hold preliminary sessions for the next five days in Ghana.
