OUTCOMES OF 1ST INTERNATIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING
Outcomes of the 1st International Steering committee meeting of the 22nd Edition of t International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA)
17th – 18th November 2022, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
The Society for AIDS in Africa was established in Kinshasa in October 1990 during the 4th International Symposium on AIDS and Associated Cancers in Africa, a precursor to the International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA). The formation of the Society for AIDS in Africa, which was facilitated by the (W.H.O) to encourage the African continent to host international conferences on HIV/AIDS, a disease whose scourge had the hardest impact on the continent. This move encouraged and empowered Africans to directly address and respond to the challenges posed by the HIV and AIDS pandemic on the continent.
Since its inception, SAA has successfully organized 21 International Conferences on HIV /AIDS and STIs in 19 African countries. The 21st edition of the International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa was held in Durban- South Africa, under the theme ‘’AFRICA’S AIDS RESPONSE: THE RACE TO 2030 – EVIDENCE. SCALE UP. ACCELERATE’’. This was the first time in its history that the conference was held virtually. Over 4025 delegates from 83 countries across Africa and other regions of the world participated virtually.
The 1st International steering committee of the International Conference on AIDS and STIS in Africa (ICASA) was opened by the ICASA 2023/SAA President, Hon. Dr. David Pagwesese Parirenyatwa and Hon. Dr. John C. Mangwiro, Deputy Minister of Health and Childcare representing the government of Zimbabwe. The meeting convened 70 in person participants and 66 virtual participants. The Objectives of the meeting are as follows:
- Finalize new format, the Theme and objectives for ICASA 2023
- Select an appropriate ICASA 2023 logo.
- Agree on the key dates and road map
- Review ICASA abstract titles and sub-titles
- Identify best strategy for resource mobilization
- Ratify the Marketing and communication strategy for ICASA 2023
- Propose ICASA 2023 draft plenary session topics and speakers
- Validation of ICASA Young writers’ series stories
ICASA 2023 THEME AND OBJECTIVES
The ICASA Secretariat launched the Call for ICASA 2023 Theme and Objectives on 17th October 2022 to 10th November 2022. We received a total of 85 submissions for themes and 240 submissions for Objectives. Each of the 3 ICASA 2023 programme committees; Scientific, Leadership and Community programme committees were tasked to shortlist 2 themes with 2 sets of 5 objectives. After thought deliberations, the steering committee members unanimously validated the final selection of the theme and objectives of ICASA 2023 as thus:
Theme: AIDS IS NOT OVER: Address inequalities, accelerate innovation and inclusion.
Objectives:
- Mainstream respect for equity, inclusion and diversity in the control and mitigation of the impact of diseases.
- Sustain and increase domestic financing and community response.
- Accelerate the response to HIV/AIDS, and control COVID-19, Monkey-pox, Ebola and any other emerging diseases.
- Mitigate the impact of hepatitis, tuberculosis and malaria through health systems strengthening.
- Generate and provide evidence-based data for policy formulation.
ICASA 2023 LOGO
The ICASA Secretariat launched the ICASA 2023 Call for Logo on 17th October 2022 to 10th November 2022. We received a total of 82 logo submissions from 17 countries. Out of the 82 logos, 10 were shortlisted and presented to the International Steering committee members for final selection. The below logo was unanimously validated:
WINNER OF ICASA 2023 LOGO COMPETITION
NAME: MOUKENDI GEDEON DIEUDONNE
COUNTRY: CONGO BRAZZAVILLE
MAIDEN EDITION OF ICASA YOUNG WRITER’S SERIES
As part of efforts to amplify youth voices across the continent, the ICASA Secretariat launched the maiden edition of the ICASA Young writer’s series. The ICASA Secretariat received 125 Applications from 23 Countries covering the following thematics:
- Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV)
- HIV (Prevention & PrEP)
- Mental Health
- Harm reduction
- Sexual Transmitted Infections (STIs)
The best stories were evaluated during the 1st International steering committee meeting. Kindly see winners below:
| Position | Ranking # | First Name | Last Name | Country | Thematic/Category |
| Winner | 1 | Jayson | Yiga Edgar | Uganda | HIV (Prevention & PrEP) |
| 1st Runner up | 2 | Bero | Phiona Patricia | Uganda | HIV (Prevention & PrEP) |
| 2nd Runner up | 3 | Chinyere | Urslar | Nigeria | HIV (Prevention & PrEP) |
| Winner | 1 | Aya Roxane | Yiga Edgar | Côte d’Ivoire | Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) |
| 1st Runner up | 2 | Mateenah | Odoi | Ghana | Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) |
| 2nd Runner up | 3 | Ana Paula Samuel | Botomane | Mozambique | Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) |
| Winner | 1 | Mutiat | Amao | Nigeria | Harm Reduction |
| 1st Runner up | 2 | Piter Matias | Pedro | Mozambique | Harm Reduction |
| Winner | 1 | Marvyng | Assy-Assamoua | Côte d’Ivoire | Mental Health |
| 1st Runner up | 2 | Van | OUALEMBO TENDART | Congo | Mental Health |
| 2nd Runner up | 3 | Laura | Maisvoreva | Zimbabwe | Mental Health |
| Winner | 1 | Brighton | Mavusa | Zimbabwe | Sexual Transmitted Infections (STIs) |
| 1st Runner up | 2 | Nyako Cinthia | Njiti | Cameroon | Sexual Transmitted Infections (STIs) |
| 2nd Runner up | 3 | Evans | KOLELA | Congo | Sexual Transmitted Infections (STIs) |
Award
The award winner of the 15 selected entries will receive:
- The First award: $250.00
- The first runner-up: $150.00
- The second runner-up: $100.00
The selected stories, after seeking consent, will be published in the ICASA 2023 programme book and website.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
About The Society for AIDS in Africa (SAA)
The Society for AIDS in Africa was founded in 1989 at the Fourth International Symposium on AIDS and Associated Cancers in Africa (now ICASA) Held in Marseille, France, by a group of African scientists, activists, and advocates in response to the HIV epidemic. The establishment of the Society was the effect of the agitations of some African scientists for the conference to be organised on African soil. These agitations began in the preceding year at the end of the third meeting held in Arusha, Tanzania in 1988. The cause of these scientists was supported by the then Deputy Director of WHO, Dr. Peter Piot.
At the 1990 conference held in the Democratic Republic of Congo, an Executive committee was inaugurated to oversee the establishment of the Society and to coordinate a subsequent international conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA) conferences. The society was officially registered in Nairobi, Kenya, with a functional secretariat in Nigeria. The permanent secretariat of the Society for AIDS in Africa was established in 2009 in Accra-Ghana. For more information on SAA, please visit www.saafrica.org
Mr. Luc Armand Bodea
ICASA Director/SAA Coordinator
Permanent Secretariat
Society for AIDS in Africa
Mobile: (+233) (0)543748781
Office Direct: (+233) (0)302913739
Email: lucbodea@saafrica.org
Email: lucbodea@yahoo.fr
Website: www.saafrica.org
