The Sunday News
Tinomuda Chakanyuka Sunday News Reporter
Cote d’Ivoire has won the bid to host the 19th edition of the International Conference on Aids and STIs in Africa (Icasa) to be held from 4 to 9 December 2017. The West African country takes over from Zimbabwe who successfully hosted the 18th edition of the conference in Harare last year. Cote d’Ivoire won the bid to host Icasa ahead of South Africa, Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo and Ghana.
A pre-selection process by Society for Aids in Africa (SAA) registered members saw Ivory Coast getting 1 639 points, followed by Kenya with 1 555, South Africa with
1 331 and Ghana which had 1 280 points.
In a statement last week, co-ordinator of the permanent secretariat of SAA and Icasa director Mr Luc Armand Bodea appealed to other African countries to support Ivory Coast in preparing for the event.
Unlike Zimbabwe, who had just six months to prepare for the conference, Cote d’Ivoire has almost a year-and-a-half to prepare.
Zimbabwe in June last year won the bid to host Icasa albeit at short notice following the cancellation of Tunisia’s bid over security concerns.
Mr Bodea said the decision to grant Cote d’Ivoire the honour to host the conference would further buttress strides registered by Africa in the fight against HIV and Aids.
“Cote d’Ivoire’s selection was a result of a rigorous evaluation of three countries including Cote d’Ivoire to host Icasa 2015.
“With the signing of the memorandum of understanding between Minister of Health and Public Hygiene and SAA with the strong support of the Cote d’Ivoire,” he said.
Added Mr Bodea, “We are hereby appealing to all to follow closely the unveiling programme of Icasa 2017 and to lend your support to Cote d’Ivoire, so that Icasa 2017 reflects lessons learnt that will further the new direction of the SDG strategies to move Africa towards stronger Health systems, and the elimination of HIV, TB and Malaria.
“We are sure that the Government of Cote d’Ivoire with the good people of this country through Icasa 2017, will further motivate all African countries governments, international community to devote more attention, and commitment to the fight against HIV/Aids and other health related issues in Africa with the aims to end Aids by 2030.”
The conference, which will bring together scientists, policy makers, activists, people living with HIV and some civil society representatives, is expected to review the HIV and Aids response mechanisms adopted by countries as well as come up with ways of strengthening the partnership among governments and co-operating partners.
Since its inception, SAA has successfully organised 18 international conferences on HIV/Aids and STIs in 14 Africa countries.
The 18th edition of Icasa held in Zimbabwe ran under the theme; Linking Leadership, Science & Human rights’’.
Over 5 400 delegates from Africa and other regions of the world attended the conference.
