ICASA 2023 PRE-CONFERENCE HIGH-LEVEL MEETING(HLM) ON EMTCT WAS DISCUSSED DURING THE GLOBAL FIRST LADIES’ ACADEMY HOSTED AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY MAILMAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, NEW YORK, USA

Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health hosts First Ladies from countries across Africa, and experts from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health organised a four-day symposium to discuss current trends, critical research, and sustainable, evidence-based approaches to promote population health and well-being. This symposium is taking place from the 10^th to the 13^th July, 2023.

First Ladies and their senior advisors are participating in an executive leadership program to advance critical health and development issues in their countries and regions, including communicable and chronic disease management, community health, maternal and child health, climate change, health systems, and gender gaps in access to healthcare.

This symposium will have strategic implications on ICASA 2023 Zimbabwe upcoming High-level meeting on the Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV as the Office of the First Lady of Zimbabwe, the Government of Zimbabwe and the Executive Board of the Society for AIDS in Africa with partners are organizing a High-Level meeting with African First Ladies to advocate for the Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe on 2^nd December 2023.

This week’s program is the first convening of the Global First Ladies Academy, which aims to support First Ladies’ and First Partners’ work to catalyze positive impact and social transformation in their communities and worldwide. This symposium aims to foster collaboration between First Ladies and First Partners at regional and global levels and to support programmatic and policy initiatives related to health, education, gender equality, economic development, and climate change.

This aligns strategically with the convening of this High-level meeting, bringing together all relevant stakeholders; the Government of Zimbabwe, the Organization of African First ladies for Development (OAFLAD), UN Agencies, PEPFAR, AFRICA CDC and Civil society organizations to advocate, share country experiences and provide recommendations needed to achieve the overarching goal of elimination of Mother to child Transmission of HIV on the African continent.

The First Lady of Zimbabwe, H.E Auxillia Mnangagwa as host of ICASA 2023 is taking this opportunity to advocate with Sister African First Ladies, to make the upcoming high-level meeting on EMTCT a turning point in the fight to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV on the African continent.