Addis Ababa, 14 July 2012 --The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, has commended the commitment and actions being taken by Heads of State and Government Action Committee to revitalize and expand AIDS Watch Africa (AWA) for stronger leadership and resource mobilization. The statement was made in a meeting officially opened by H.E. Dr. Boni Yayi, President of Benin, Chairperson of AU and Chairperson of AIDS Watch Africa.

Noting that Africa has made encouraging results in the fight against HIV/AIDS and highlighting achievements made in the reduction of new infections, AIDS related deaths as well as the increase in the number of ART recipients,

Dr Sambo acknowledged the support provided by international health partners. He emphasized that in spite of these achievements, the HIV/AIDS pandemic remains the leading cause of deaths among adults in Africa and co-infections of HIV with patients with TB and Malaria are aggravating the severity and mortality due to these diseases.

With the number of new HIV infections every year in the continent being as high as two million, he urged that effective preventive interventions with significant impact need to be prioritized and scaled up to bring down the levels of incidence. He welcomed the actions being taken to mobilize resources, and promote accountability in the response to HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis in Africa through the AIDS Watch Africa.

The Regional Director outlined four key areas of focus in his appeal to the Heads of State and Government:

1. The importance of the leadership and social mobilization role of the Heads of State and Government in the response to HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Africa, including accountability for concrete results;
2. The need to improve efficiency and invest more resources in strengthening the human and financial capacity of national health services in order to scale up the delivery of proven and cost effective interventions;
3. The need to accelerate the Africa Union initiative to improve Africa's capacity in the manufacture of antiretroviral and other essential medicines; and support WHO's proposal to create the Africa's Medicine Agency (AMA) that would be the authority serving as reference to strengthen the regulatory capacity of African states in the area of pharmaceuticals;
4. The need to provide additional financial support to the WHO Regional Office for Africa in order to strengthen its technical capacity and better play its policy, normative and technical roles in support to African countries.

Initially created by the African Union as an advocacy platform for mobilization of action and resources to fight HIVAIDS, AIDS Watch Africa was revitalized and expanded in January 2012 to play a greater role in leadership and resource mobilization for HIV AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

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For more information, please contact:

Collins Boakye-Agyemang + 472413 9420 E-mail: Boakyec [at] afro.who.int