Brazzaville, 07 December 2016 – Experts from the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO/AFRO) and the Organization of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS (OAFLA) are meeting in Brazzaville, Congo from 7-8 December 2016 to discuss a range of health priorities and actions that both parties will jointly embark on to improve the health of people in Africa.

In January 2016, WHO AFRO and OAFLA signed an agreement to work together to eliminate mother-to-child HIV transmission and scaling up HIV treatment and care for children, end preventable maternal, neonatal, children’s and adolescents’ deaths; reduce stigma and remove barriers to accessing quality HIV/AIDS and reproductive health services; support countries to strengthen health systems; among others.

This meeting is a follow-up to the agreement and both parties are expected to clearly define activities, expected outputs, time-frame and roles and responsibilities for the joint 2017 plan.  

Welcoming the participants, Dr Joseph W. Cabore Director of Programme Management who spoke on behalf of the Dr Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO Regional Director for Africa, noted that through the First Ladies a number of collaborative activities involving OAFLA have taken place and these have underscored the importance of the work of First Ladies and also contributed to advancing the health agenda on the continent, particularly in areas of maternal and child health and HIV prevention. 

He said: “First Ladies, as mothers of our nations, have an important role in advocating for important issues that impact directly and indirectly on the health of women and girls, such as education of the girl child, eliminating child marriage as well as provision of water and sanitation".

Dr Cabore drew attention to some key challenges facing the region and urged the participants to identify priority joint actions at both regional and country level, which require political support, taking into account the comparative advantage of both parties and the existing partnership landscape. 

In her remarks, the Executive Secretary of the OAFLA Ms Sonia Ndimbira said: “This meeting presents a unique opportunity for both parties to further strengthen collaboration to improve the health and well-being of Africa’s women and children who are the most vulnerable populations of our societies. First Ladies of Africa look forward to the recommendations which will come out from this joint meeting, as a clear guideline for the way forward.”   

The 2-day meeting is attended by technical advisors from 17 OAFLA Member States (Burkina Faso, Burundi, Bissau Guinea, Centrafrique, Chad, Congo, Comores, Guinea, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda and Zambia), representatives from UNFPA, UNICEF, UNWOMEN, the WHO Liaison office at the African Union as well as technical teams from WHO AFRO.

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For more information, please contact:
Dr Françoise Bigirimana Medical Officer, WHO AFRO Tel: +47 24139196; Email: bigirimanaf [at] who.int 
Loza Mesfin Tesfaye Communications Officer, WHO AFRO Tel: +47 24139779; +242 044 800 212; Email: tesfayel [at] who.int 
Collins Boakye-Agyemang Regional Communications Advisor, a.i. Tel: + 242 06 520 6565; Email: boakyeagyemangc [at] who.int