Accra, Dec. 5, – Ghana’s First Lady, Mrs. Lordina Mahama, has urged her fellow African First Ladies to strengthen their advocacy and collaborative efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS, as they gathered in Accra for a High-Level ICASA Side Event.
The meeting, held under the auspices of the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) and hosted by Mrs. Mahama, brought together First Ladies from across the continent to deliberate on strategies to eliminate mother-to-child transmission and achieve the triple elimination of HIV, Syphilis, and Hepatitis B in Africa.
During the conference, the First Ladies working through OAFLAD renewed their collective commitment to addressing some of Africa’s most pressing challenges, including climate change, gender-based violence (GBV), HIV/AIDS, and women’s economic empowerment, while placing particular emphasis on improving health outcomes.
Mrs. Mahama welcomed to Accra:
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Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, First Lady of Sierra Leone and President of OAFLAD
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Mrs. Rachel Ruto, First Lady of Kenya
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Mrs. Fatoumatta Bah Barrow, First Lady of The Gambia
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Madam Kartumu Yarta Boakai, First Lady of Liberia
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Mrs. Tobeka Stacie Madiba Zuma, former First Lady of South Africa
She described the gathering as “an extraordinary day of sisterhood, solidarity, and shared commitment,” emphasising that the participating First Ladies were “sisters united for life.”
Mrs. Mahama praised her colleagues for their dedication and leadership, noting that the strength of the meeting lay in the common resolve to move from rhetoric to tangible action.
“The power of this gathering lies not merely in our titles but in our shared determination to translate advocacy into action and platforms into progress,” she said.
She stressed that the duty of the First Ladies extended to uplifting communities often left unheard:
“Together, we carry a unique responsibility to elevate the voices of those who are too often unheard: the mothers in remote villages, the vulnerable newborns, and communities striving for healthier lives.”
Mrs. Mahama expressed gratitude to OAFLAD, UNAIDS, the Society for AIDS in Africa (SAA), and the NAP+ Ghana community for their continued leadership and technical support in advancing health interventions.
Reaffirming the continent’s shared vision for healthier generations, she stated:
“No child should enter this world bearing an infection that could have been prevented.”
“No mother should be denied the services and dignity that protect her health and secure her baby’s future.”
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