Historical Background
Towards the tail-end of the 20th century, HIV and AIDS epidemic established itself as the most devastating epidemic defying the most aggressive scientific battles to combat it. With over 30 million people infected and an estimated 10 million people dead, the epidemic metamorphosed from public health problem into an overall development challenge undermining African renaissance.
In response, a few scientists, activists and advocates came together to form the Society on AIDS in Africa. The Society is non governmental, not-for profit
Personalities credited with the formation of the SAA were Prof Mboup of Senegal, Prof Kaptue of Cameroon, Dr. Sam Okware of Uganda, Prof Soyinka of Nigeria, Prof Gershey-Damet G.M. of Cote d’Ivore, Dr. D.M. Owili from Kenya, Dr M’Pelle from Congo Brazzaville, Dr. Kalenganyi from DR Congo, Prof Mhalu from Tanzania, Prof Luo from Zambia, Prof Latif from Zimbabwe, Dr. Patrick Kenya and Dr. Abdulrahman Sow from Mauritania.
Dr. Kapita of DRC, Dr Kanki P of USA, Prof. Abdellah Benslimane from Morocco, DR Fatia Mohamoud of Sudan, Prof Ahmed Zribi of Tunisia, Prof Kadio of Cote d’Ivoire and Dr Okware from Uganda. The selection of regional delegates to the SAA was done according to the WHO regional classification of sub-saharan African namely, Region 1, Region 2, Region 3 and Emco. This was October in 1990 in Kinshasa.
- The first elected representatives of Region 1 and SAA were Prof Soulemane M’boup of Senegal, Prof Femi Soyinka of Nigeria, Prof A. Kadio and Dr. Gershy-Damet from Cote d’Ivoire. The elected representatives of Region two were Prof L. Kaptue from Cameroon, Dr. Dundu Malaki Owili from Kenya, Dr. Pierre M’pelle from Congo Brazzaville and Dr. Karengenyi of Zaire today Democratic Republic of Congo.
- In Region Three, the representatives were Prof. Fred S. Mhalu from Tanzania, Prof Nkandu Luo from Zambia and Prof. L. Latif from Zimbwabwe.
- In Region 3 (EMCO), Prof. Abdellah Benslimane of Morocco who became the first president of SAA, Dr. Fatia Mohamoud from Sudan and Prof Ahmed Zribi from Tunisia. These were the pioneer founders of SAA.
- Also involed in ICASA’s early work were Prof. K. Kallings from Sweden, Prof. Peter Piot from Geneva, and Abdulrahman Sow, Geneva, DR. Patrick Kenya from Kenya and Dr. N. Angata from Kenya who became the first secretary of SAA. During the inaugural of SAA meeting in Kinshasa, Nairobi was chosen as the SAA secretariat headquarters when the society was officially registered.
- It was during the Morocco meeting in 1993 that SAA decided to host ICASA meetings every two-year instead of bi-annually. The first ICASA bi-annual conference was held in Kampala, in 1994 then to Cote d’ Ivore, Zambia, Burkina Faso then Kenya, which hosted the 13th conference in September 2003 and Nigeria in 2006
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