Africa First Ladies
The Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD), supported by UNAIDS and the Elizabeth Glaser Paediatric Aids Foundation, has unveiled an advocacy tool kit for its flagship HIV campaign dubbed, ‘Free to Shine.’
The tool kit proposes three areas for advocacy for First Ladies to take the ‘Free to Shine’ campaign forward, and address the growing complacency in the response to childhood HIV in Africa.
The focus areas include keeping women and girls HIV free, preventing vertical transmission of HIV and finding missing children and adolescents living with HIV and ensuring that they receive HIV services.
It shows how to take advocacy focus areas forward recalling international and regional commitments relevant to the ‘Free to Shine’ campaign.
UNAIDS Executive Director, Winnie Byantima, joining the First Ladies to launch the tool kit at the Open Session of the 24th Ordinary General Assembly of OAFLAD, said preventing new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths among children, adolescent girls and women remains hugely important.
She, therefore, commended OAFLAD, the African Union and partners for their advocacy in advancing the global goal of HIV prevention.
She said through OAFLAD’s efforts significant gains had been made in the AIDS response for women and children with an estimated 1.5 million new HIV infections among children at 14 and below being averted since 2010 in Africa.
“The proportion of pregnant women living with HIV receiving anti-retroviral therapy has increased from 44 % in 2010 to 84 % in 2018,” she added.
Ms. Byantima, however, called for the voices of advocacy to increase, as progress in preventing new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths among children has stalled.
“AIDS remains the leading cause of death among women of reproductive age. Only half of all children living with HIV have access to anti-retroviral therapy,” she said.
She thus hoped the tool kit would help leverage the unique engagement and advocacy of First Ladies in Africa, reinforcing the political commitment of African leadership to end childhood HIV and keep mothers healthy.
Valerie Esmo Maba, a mother with an HIV positive child, called on the First Ladies to act, as the continent’s children with HIV risk not reaching adulthood.
She thus urged the First Ladies to use their leadership and voices to ensure children living with HIV in Africa get the treatment they deserve.
From Jamila Akweley Okertchiri, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia