Honorable members of ICASA 2025 International Steering Committee
Dear Virtual Participants Across the World,
Esteemed Development Partners from the UN Agencies and other Partners,
Honorable Board Members of the Society for AIDS in Africa,
Members of the Society for AIDS in Africa (SAA),
Honorable Minister of Health of Ghana,
Good People of Ghana,
ICASA Director,
Staff of the Society for AIDS in Africa,
Honorable members of ICASA 2025 International Steering Committee
It is with great honor and deep pride that I stand before you today as we officially begin preparations for ICASA 2025 right here in Ghana. Let me take a moment to recall that Ghana, under the visionary leadership of Kwame Nkrumah, was the first African country to achieve independence from colonial rule. Ghana’s independence symbolized the decolonization of the entire African continent.
Today, as we gather in this proud nation, we are here to discuss how we can eradicate AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB), Malaria, Hepatitis, and strengthen our health systems across Africa. And as we do so, I urge us all to ask a critical question: Is it not the right time to decolonize our approaches, our policies, and our mindset towards health in Africa?
It is time that ICASA 2025 serves as a platform where the Heads of State across Africa reaffirm their commitment to health. We must insist that they respect the 15% health budget commitment as promised under the Abuja Declaration. This must be prioritized if we are to make tangible progress.
It is time for every African citizen to be entitled to universal health insurance, ensuring that no one is left behind. It is time that we produce our own vaccines and medications, reducing our dependency on foreign aid and pharmaceutical imports.
MDGs 2030 is five years away. If we do not prioritize health and place it at the forefront of the African development agenda, we will not reach the 95-95-95 targets. There is no way we can make meaningful progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS and other diseases without a significant increase in health funding and commitment from African governments.
According to the World Bank’s key demographic projections, Africa’s population will reach 1.7 billion by 2030, with 40% of that population being under the age of 15. How will we ensure that this future workforce is productive and able to contribute to the continent’s development if we do not have at least a basic, functional universal healthcare system in place?
Let us not wait any longer. It is crucial that all Africans know their health status. We cannot afford to be ignorant in this era when we have the scientific breakthroughs to combat HIV/AIDS. Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U), PrEP, PEP, injectable treatments—we have the tools to end the AIDS epidemic.
But it will not happen unless the politics of Africa put health at the top of the agenda. Health is not a cost, it is an investment for the economic and social development of our continent.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish the good people of Ghana a safe and peaceful election. I also extend my deepest gratitude to the outgoing President, His Excellency Nana Akufo-Addo, for his exemplary leadership across the African continent.
I wish all of us fruitful deliberations as we embark on this important journey towards ICASA 2025. Let us work together to make it a defining moment for the health and future of Africa.
Thank you.
