At the margins of the ICASA 2017, the WHO Regional office for Africa in collaboration with the WHO headquarters and Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) as well as other members of the AIDS FREE working group (UNICEF, PEPFAR, CIFF, ELMA) gathered in Abidjan. With the participation of delegations from the 21 priorities countries, they assessed progress, identified remaining gaps and shared good practices for accelerating efforts to scale up timely diagnosis and treatment for children and adolescents living with HIV.
“Indeed, we have made remarkable progress. This progress is a result of meaningful community engagement, increased knowledge of HIV status of our population and strong leadership, ownership and commitment from governments and partners.
However, considerable gaps remain. We have to invest more in HIV services that will reach populations and locations in greatest need. In order to achieve the targets we set ourselves to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Agenda, , we have to address the big challenges head-on’, said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO Regional Director for Africa.
