Ghana has been chosen to host the 23rd edition of the International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA), marking the country’s first time organizing this biennial event.
The conference focuses on collaboration with national, regional, and international organizations to enhance health systems aimed at controlling and mitigating the effects of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.
ICASA alternates between anglophone and francophone African countries, with the goal of establishing policies and promoting research to bolster national responses to HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and other emerging infections.
The announcement follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Government of Ghana and the Society for AIDS in Africa (SAA) at the Jubilee House on Wednesday, October 2, which sets the stage for preparations to host the conference in 2025.
This event is expected to play a crucial role in enhancing Africa’s health systems and working towards the achievement of sustainable development goals. Luc Armand Bodea, the President of the Society for AIDS in Africa, emphasized the significance of hosting the conference in Ghana.
“We have already issued a call for thematic areas and objectives for the conference. Experts from around the world will be coming here from November 28 to 29.
They are the ones for whom we have set the targets for the upcoming conference, which aim to eliminate HIV by 2030 and support the African Union’s agenda to end AIDS by 2063,” he stated.
Dr. Kyeremeh Atuahene, the Director General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, remarked that Ghana’s selection as the host nation will significantly bolster the country’s efforts in combating the epidemic.
“The conference will lead to a renewed awareness among Ghanaians about HIV and provide an opportunity for extensive social mobilization across the country.
It will engage traditional authorities, professional bodies, civil society, development partners, and government agencies at all levels, bringing new momentum and active participation from various sectors of the economy and society in Ghana. This will also resonate throughout West Africa and the continent as a whole,” he noted.
The conference is anticipated to attract over ten thousand delegates from more than 120 countries, scheduled to take place from December 3 to 8, 2025.
