UNAIDS - July 4, 2007

During her opening speech, the First Lady of Ghana, Mrs. Theresa Kufuor, urged her counterparts and colleagues on the continent to increase their commitment to assist their various governments in responding to AIDS, working towards ambitious national targets on HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.

"Let us be more conscious of the negative impact of AIDS on our people and let us increase our desire to make a difference," she said. "Africa bears the brunt of the pandemic, with women and girls at a greater risk as a result of their socio cultural subordination," she added.

Mrs. Kufuor stressed that women and girls are at heightened risk of HIV infection as a result of their economic, and socio-cultural situation and that sexual assault and violence against women and girls also heightens their vulnerability to HIV.

Added to that, she said, is the fact that a large section of the population still does not believe they are at risk of infection while in most African countries stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV discourage many people from undergoing voluntary tests and disclosing their status to sexual partners.

For her part, First Lady of Zambia and OAFLA President Maureen Mwanawasa said the gathering should prompt the First Ladies to reflect on the enormity of the tasks and challenges posed by AIDS. "As mothers, we cannot afford to stand by and watch AIDS redefine the meaning of childhood for millions of our children. It is important that we embrace interventions that will promote the birth of an AIDS-free generation," she said .

According to Mrs. Mwanawasa, even though most governments have implemented a number of Prevention of Mother-to-child Transmission (PMTCT) HIV programmes, there are still many gaps in delivery systems, including inadequate training for health staff, unsustainable support programmes, lack of effective monitoring and evaluation programmes, week referral systems between health centres and the community, insufficient community involvement and limited income generating activities for those affected by AIDS.

In her presentation of the recent key achievements of OAFLA, President Mwanawasa noted the development of an action plan from 2006 to 2008, with focus on PMTCT, the production of financial procedures manual to guide and regulate OAFLAÆs expenditures as well as the mobilization of equipment and financial resources to strengthen its regional offices and executive secretariat.

She also pointed out the strengthening of partnerships with a number of organizations, including UNAIDS and PEPFAR.

In his address at the opening ceremony, UNAIDS, Country Coordinator Dr Roger Salla Ntounga underlined the importance of "partnership for an expanded and effective response" and stressed the need to address the fundamental drivers of the epidemic, especially gender inequality and the low status of women.

The United Nations System represented by Mrs Oby Ezekwesili, Vice President Africa Region at the World Bank, Dr Roger Salla Ntounga of UNAIDS and Dr.Lalla Toure of UNICEF commended the First Ladies for their unwavering support and advocacy which have been instrumental in AfricaÆs AIDS response. They reaffirmed the support of their organizations to OAFLA in line with the common objectives to move towards universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010.

Mrs. Azeb Mesfin, First Lady of Ethiopia and Vice President of OAFLA has offered to host the next OAFLA meeting in her country, in September 2007, in the context of the upcoming Ethiopian Millennium Campaign.

070704
UN070704

Copyright © 2007 - Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). All rights reserved. UNAIDS articles, which are not formal publications of UNAIDS, may be freely reviewed, quoted, reproduced or translated, in part or in full, provided the source is acknowledged. The documents may not be sold or used in conjunction with commercial purposes without prior written approval from UNAIDS (contact: UNAIDS Information Centre).

AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Boehringer Ingelheim, Bridgestone/Firestone Charitable Trust, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, Roche and Trimeris, and donations from users like you. Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2007. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.

AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.

Copyright ©1980, 2007. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .