SAA Coordinator Seeks New Commitments Toward Three HIV/ AIDS Zeros

Mr. Luc Armand Bodea (1st R)

By Patrick Baidoo

The Coordinator of Society for AIDS in Africa (SAA)– Ghana, Luc Armand Bodea has called all governments, donors, institutions and all persons to renew commitments to achieve a zero HIV/AIDS infection target as pertaining to the HIV/AIDS - THREE ZERO’s.

The three cardinal tenets underpinning the fight against the spread of the disease which the SAA Coordinator refers to are “ZERO STIGMATIZATION, ZERO INFECTIONS AND ZERO DEATHS RELATED TO HIV/AIDS”.

He has indicated that working arduously towards this target will go a long way to sustain the gains made in the sector and roll back the challenges during a post millennium development goal, after 2015.

Hence speaking at the launch of the 17th ICASA, 2013, which is the biggest AIDS conference in Africa with 10, 000 delegates, he minced no words, “The AIDS response in Africa over the past 5 years have been acknowledged due to sustainable and tangible gains, thus the Theme of the Conference “Now more than ever: Targeting Zero”, is a cry out of Africa to the international Community, Africa Leaders, donors, government, civil society to renew their commitment towards Targeting Zero new Infection, Zero death related to AIDS, Zero discrimination so that Africa will be in the dynamic of the post MGD”.

He thus called on all to get involved in the HIV/AIDS fight to roll back the disease and also make efforts to attend 17th ICASA in Cape Town - South Africa in December 7 to 11, 2013.

ICASA is a platform that brings health system experts, biomedical, clinicians, social researchers, community leaders, and People Living with HIV/AIDS closer together on a common platform to share ideas on the disease in order to move the agenda forward.

READ FULL REMARKS OF SAA COORDINATOR, MR, LUC BODEA DURING LAUNCH OF 17TH ICASA IN ACCRA RECENTLY

Her Excellency Mme Jeanette Ndhlovu High Commissioner of the Embassy of South Africa in Ghana, Dr  Angela El Adas Director General of Ghana AIDS Commission, Mr Girmay Haily Country Director of UNAIDS , Distinguished Guests, Journalists, and all protocol observed.

Allow me on behalf of Professor Robert Soudre the President of the Society for AIDS in Africa to express our gratitude to host this press conference under your leadership.

The SAA is the custodian of ICASA. It was founded in 1989. The decision to set up ICASA was birthed at the fourth International Symposium on AIDS and Associated Cancers in Africa (now known as ICASA) which was held in Marseille, France by a group of African scientists, activists and advocates in response to the AIDS epidemic.

Since its inception the society has organized successfully 16th ICASA and the 17th edition will be held in her Excellency, Mm Jeanette Ndhlovu country South Africa in Cape Town City 7th to 11 December 2013.

ICASA is a platform that brings health systems expert, biomedical, clinician, social researchers, leaders, community, PLHIV closer together and is therefore particularly the only bilingual conferences that truly deal with our African problems on AIDS STIs and TB and Malaria. At the last ICASA, ICASA 2011 Addis Abeba (Ethiopia) up to 7,000 delegates around the globe responded favorable to ICASA call. Cape Town is expecting 10,000 delegates.

ICASA 2013 is been hosted in a very difficult financial era however the AIDS response in Africa over the past 5 years have acknowledged sustainable and tangible gain, The Theme of the Conference Now more than ever: Targeting Zero, is a cry out of Africa to the international Community, Africa Leaders, donors, government, civil society to renew their commitment towards Targeting Zero new Infection, Zero death related to AIDS, Zero discrimination so that Africa will be in the dynamic of the post MGD.

As closing remarks, I would like also to inform the general public that registration is opened, more than 500 scholarship will be given, we hope that the donors community is listen to us, the call for abstract and workshop are opened online on ICASA 2013 website . 

I look forward to welcome you all in December 2013 in Cape Town, in an attempt once again to turn the tide of the AIDS pandemic in Africa.