ICASA 2025 seeks to put the power back in Africa’s hands, calling for bold domestic action, empowered voices, and a dignified future for those living positively with HIV
SPECIAL REPORT BY: KWEKU BOLTON
As Africa intensifies its efforts to end HIV/AIDS by 2030, Accra will host the 23rd International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA) this year from 3rd to 8th December. With declining global support, the conference will center, among others, on strengthening domestic funding for HIV programs.
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains a significant global public health challenge, having claimed an estimated 42.3 million lives to date. By the end of 2023, approximately 39.9 million people were living with HIV, with 65% residing in the WHO African Region. That same year, around 630,000 people died from HIV-related causes, while 1.3 million acquired new infections. In 2024 alone, Ghana recorded 34,000 new HIV cases, while 8 million people were living with HIV in South Africa, according to spotlightnsp.co.za.
“HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) attacks the immune system, specifically CD4 cells—a type of white blood cell that helps fight infection—while AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) is the most advanced stage of HIV infection.” HIV is a virus that spreads through certain body fluids such as blood, semen, vaginal fluids, rectal fluids, and breast milk. It is transmitted through unprotected sex, sharing needles, or from mother to child during birth or breastfeeding. AIDS is not spread like HIV; it is a condition that develops after HIV infection.
Madam Elsie Ayeh, President of NAP+ Ghana and a key voice in ICASA 2025’s community programme, highlights the impact of the U.S. government’s funding cuts. In response, nations like South Africa now finance nearly 75% of their HIV programs, showcasing a shift toward self-reliance. However, according to her, Ghana continues to underinvest in health, falling short of its 15% GDP allocation target. Madam Elsie urges Ghana to leverage its resources and reduce dependence on foreign aid.
The Role of the Global Fund
Founded by the late UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the Global Fund remains pivotal in Ghana’s HIV response. With U.S. funding as a backbone, Ghana benefits from the Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM), which plays a crucial role in the fight against HIV by coordinating the development of grant proposals, overseeing their implementation, and ensuring that programmes are effective and responsive to the needs of people living with HIV (PLHIV). Despite past procurement challenges, current supplies are stable, with enough medication projected through the end of 2025.
Elsie calls for African governments to invest consistently in healthcare infrastructure, encourage empowering language, and offer inclusive messaging. She advocates that media outlets should provide free airtime for HIV education and emphasizes that Ghana’s health systems should reflect its economic potential.
Tackling Stigma through Disclosure and Education
Disclosure remains one of the most difficult—and overlooked—challenges in HIV advocacy. Misinformation, fear, and inadequate public education reinforce stigma. Many families avoid disclosing HIV status to children, leading to untreated conditions, depression, and, in severe cases, suicide. She highlighted the urgent need to end stigma in workplaces.
Elsie references the Person Living with HIV (PLHIV) Stigma Index Study, which confirms that honest communication across age and gender offers relief and strength. She champions peer-led disclosure teams, ideally composed of PLHIV, to support newly diagnosed individuals and encourage acceptance. Couples in sero-discordant relationships—where one partner is HIV-positive—can live safely together, and some even become mentors.
She questions why WHO’s educational materials aren’t widely circulated and calls for systems that ensure PLHIV receive timely, accurate information. Elsie stresses that education must go beyond hospitals into communities, supported by robust training for healthcare professionals.
Rural Outreach & Media Engagement
Elsie recommends increased use of local languages and documentaries in rural areas like the Savannah Region, where stigma is deeply entrenched. She cites delivery challenges, including patients avoiding public clinics and transportation barriers impacting medication access.
A resilient advocate, 71-year-old Madam Elsie says she has lived with HIV for nearly 30 years and embraces her diagnosis as her “second birthday.” She promotes a dignified shift in terminology—instead of people living with HIV being referred to as “patients,” they should rather be known as “Recipients of Care”—emphasizing wellness, a sense of agency, and respect. This language shift is part of a pan-African effort across 22 countries to redefine dignity in HIV care. “We’re not sick. We’re living, contributing, and capable,” Elsie affirms.
ICASA 2025 serves as a crucial platform to mobilize domestic action, elevate community voices, and propel Africa’s response toward self-sufficiency.
Sentiments of Individuals Living Positively with HIV
Daniel — Advocacy Through Action
Twenty-nine-year-old Daniel learnt of his HIV status in late 2018 after close friends in the medical field encouraged him to seek testing. His response was calm and strategic. He remains optimistic and plans to marry his 25-year-old HIV-negative partner—who is fully aware of his condition. He emphasizes that proper treatment can prevent transmission to partners and future children.
He’s concerned about declining international aid, especially following U.S. policy changes under President Donald Trump, and urges African nations to build internal support structures. Daniel calls for aggressive community screening, citing the Oti Region, where 15 new cases were recently detected, that many are potentially undiagnosed. He proposes routine checks, early medication, and stigma reduction, equating HIV screening with normalized COVID-19 testing. Through his work with an NGO known as CPK, Daniel advocates a proactive, informed approach and hopes to pursue further studies in security and intelligence.
Charles — Redefining HIV Through Transparency
Charles, 28, voluntarily got tested out of curiosity, despite no symptoms or known exposure. He accepted the diagnosis calmly, having prepared mentally. He first disclosed his status to his brother, later sharing it openly with his church and friends.
Charles uses his experience as an educational tool. He has faced no stigma and remains emotionally empowered. Engaged to be married, he and his partner live transparently and lovingly. Charles challenges traditional perceptions of HIV, stating:
“I don’t feel sick—I’m very healthy. HIV doesn’t define me. I define how I live—with knowledge, love, and courage.”
He pushes for government investment in healthcare post-donor cuts, noting that access to medication should be as routine as other public services. Charles actively clears up misconceptions between HIV and AIDS, underscoring the treatable nature of HIV with consistent care.
Moses — Navigating HIV with Empathy and Education
Moses, 27, a nurse, suspected his HIV status following risky behavior, including a non-consensual encounter. His initial test was inconclusive; a later test confirmed his diagnosis. Thanks to previous self-education, Moses processed the result calmly. Although he faced mild internal stigma, his engagement with the West African AIDS Foundation (WAAF) reinforced his confidence.
As a healthcare professional, he recognizes workplace stigma rooted in ignorance. He chooses to keep his status private, not because he is ashamed but as a personal boundary. Based in Tamale, Moses educates others via TikTok and in-person sessions, advocating for widespread, early testing. He highlights the efficacy of modern treatment—usually a single daily pill—and stresses that undetectable viral loads greatly reduce transmission risk. Moses roots for normalization of testing and early intervention.
Malik — Living with HIV Since Youth
Malik, 28, a pharmaceutical technician, contracted HIV at age 18. After missing the window for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), limited facility access delayed his treatment. Once diagnosed, he actively managed his condition. Malik remains cautious about romantic relationships, fearing rejection, but points to others in sero-discordant partnerships living successfully and openly.
He calls for non-political HIV program branding to ensure service continuity amid government transitions. Malik supports increased local research and warns against relying on rumored cures, stressing the importance of validated science over desperation.
He said that in 2024, Ghana reported over 30,000 people living with HIV, with 15,000 new infections, including 4,118 males, 10,303 females, and 1,243 children (0–14). Malik values data transparency led by the Ghana Statistical Service and anticipates 2025 data will guide future interventions.
ICASA 2025 — A Catalyst for Change
All five individuals support ICASA’s upcoming conference in Ghana, lauding its efforts to unite scientists, researchers, and policymakers. They believe the event can reignite momentum for sustainable HIV care strategies and strengthen domestic health systems across Africa. They particularly emphasize regional advocacy, education, and grassroots empowerment as the way forward.
ICASA Leaders’ Actions
Meanwhile, the Director of ICASA and Coordinator of SAA, Luc Bodea Armand, stated that the ICASA program focuses on combating HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), tuberculosis (TB), and other emerging infectious diseases across the continent.
The Vice President of SAA, Prof. Muhammad Chakron, emphasized the importance of sustainable health systems and increased domestic financing.
Additionally, the President of the Society for AIDS in Africa (SAA), Dr. David Pagwesese Parirenyatwa, called on the African Union to increase funding in response to cuts in HIV support across Africa by the United States government. He also disclosed encouraging developments in South Africa, where groundbreaking research in the HIV Cure Trial has provided hope for a potential cure.
