African first ladies in the absence of Chantal Biya hold summit to combat HIV/AIDS

The Organization of African First Ladies (OAFLA) who joined their husbands on the sidelines of the African Union (AU) summit in Rwanda, have recommitted to their fight to make Africa a continent free of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) as well as maternal and child mortality.Conspiciously absent was Cameroon's  First Lady Chantal Biya who has been out of the country for over 2 months now.

The new resolve forms part of the recommendations from the 17th Assembly of the African First Ladies meeting in Kigali. The meeting asserted that OAFLA was committed to: stop HIV infection and reduce vulnerability among young women and adolescent girls.

It further stressed to continue to advocate for increased investment in the health system; accelerate advocacy for enhanced health education; and to support youth and civil society in policy and program initiatives that promote young women’s well-being as leaders and agents of social change in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC) and national governments.

They also committed to continue to ensure the launch of the campaign to End Child Marriage in all their countries.

Kenyan First Lady, Margaret Gakuo Kenyatta, chaired the just ended session on behalf of the OAFLA Chairperson, First Lady of Ghana, Dr. Lordina Mahama.

In her opening remarks, she outlined some of the activities undertaken by OAFLA since the last convention in January 2016.

Africannews