First Ladies Arrive in Accra for High-Level ICASA Side Event on Ending Mother-to-Child Transmission

Accra is hosting a major gathering of African First Ladies as part of the 23rd International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA), with several dignitaries arriving in the country ahead of a crucial high-level meeting on Thursday.

Her Excellency Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, First Lady of Sierra Leone and President of the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD), together with Her Excellency Fatoumatta Bah Barrow, First Lady of The Gambia, touched down in Accra on Wednesday for the engagement.

The meeting, which will be led by Ghana’s First Lady, H.E. Lordina Dramani Mahama, will focus on Ending Mother-to-Child Transmission (EMTCT) and advancing the Triple Elimination of HIV, Syphilis, and Hepatitis B across Africa. The event will also highlight the role of women in leadership in combating stigma, abuse, and neglect faced by victims—particularly women and children—and outline practical measures to safeguard their rights.

Mrs. Mahama’s longstanding commitment to health advocacy and humanitarian work will take center stage during the discussions. Over the past decade, she and the Lordina Foundation have gained international recognition for efforts to support vulnerable populations.

In 2013, she was appointed a Health Ambassador to champion Ghana’s Heart-to-Heart campaign and advocate for people living with HIV. As President of the Organisation of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS in 2016, she delivered a powerful appeal for stronger responses to HIV and the protection of young people’s sexual and reproductive rights during the 7th Africa Conference on Sexual Health and Rights held in Accra.

First Ladies from Kenya, Liberia, and a former First Lady of South Africa are also expected to join the high-level deliberations, which form part of broader African efforts to eliminate mother-to-child transmission and strengthen public health systems on the continent.