The successful hosting of the 23rd International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa (ICASA 2025) in Accra marks a defining moment in the continent’s long and challenging health journey.
Held on the theme “Africa in action: Catalysing integrated sustainable responses to end AIDS, TB and malaria,” the conference brought together leaders, scientists, activists and communities united by a shared commitment: to build a healthier, stigma-free and resilient Africa.
A central message that resonated throughout the conference, echoed strongly by UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director Angeli Achrekar and many other speakers, is that stigmatisation remains one of the most formidable obstacles in the fight against HIV and other infectious diseases.
Despite decades of advocacy and significant scientific advancement, people living with HIV continue to face discrimination, criminalisation and social exclusion.
The Daily Graphic holds the firm view that this is not only a violation of fundamental human rights but also a direct threat to public health and disease control efforts.
Stigma discourages people from seeking testing, treatment and preventive care.
It fuels silence, delays diagnosis and undermines community-based efforts that have long anchored Africa’s HIV response.
The lesson is clear: Africa cannot end AIDS, TB and malaria without first ending stigma. No health response can thrive in an environment where individuals fear judgement more than they fear disease.
We, therefore, implore African leaders to prioritise policies that protect rather than marginalise vulnerable populations.
As Ms Achrekar emphasised, using the law to shame or criminalise people weakens, rather than strengthens the systems intended to protect public health.
Instead, governments must champion human rights, support evidence-based interventions and amplify community leadership, which has consistently proven indispensable in delivering, monitoring and sustaining prevention and treatment services.
The conference also drew attention to the troubling reality of funding disruptions and declining global support for HIV responses.
These financial setbacks have already led to the collapse of prevention services in some places, exposing adolescent girls, young women and key populations to heightened risks.
Yet, amid these challenges, ICASA 2025 offered a message of hope.
Many African countries are increasing domestic investments, and this year alone, over $11.34 billion has been committed globally to HIV, TB and malaria responses.
Ghana’s swift actions, commended by UNAIDS, illustrate how political will can safeguard national health sovereignty, even in times of uncertainty.
Equally significant was the celebration of the 35th anniversary of the Society for AIDS in Africa (SAA), a powerful symbol of the continent’s long-standing dedication to scientific leadership and health advocacy.
Since its inception in 1989, when stigma was rife, treatment was scarce and AIDS-related deaths were high, SAA has driven scientific collaboration, community engagement and the merging of research with policy.
The evolution of ICASA, including the introduction of the community concept in 1999, demonstrates Africa’s recognition that science alone does not end epidemics - communities do.
The launch of the African Journal for AIDS and Infectious Diseases (AJAID) further strengthens Africa’s commitment to leading its own health agenda. For too long, African-focused studies have been underrepresented in global journals, despite the continent’s disproportionate burden of HIV, TB and malaria. Prioritising local research is essential for generating the context-specific evidence needed to design effective interventions.
The Daily Graphic believes that Africa’s strategy for combating HIV, TB and malaria must now rest on three essential pillars.
First, stigma must be eliminated through law reform, sustained public education and inclusive healthcare systems where no individual fears discrimination. Stigma-reduction must be woven into every level of disease control.
Second, communities must be empowered as leaders, not mere beneficiaries. Community health workers, PLHIV networks, women’s groups and youth organisations should lead prevention efforts, treatment literacy, case identification and adherence support.
Third, governments must honour their commitments, including the Abuja Declaration, by investing adequately in their health systems.
Health sovereignty requires strong domestic financing and regional cooperation rather than dependence on unpredictable external funding.
The message from ICASA 2025 is unequivocal: ending AIDS, TB and malaria by 2030 is achievable, but only if Africa confronts stigma boldly, invests sustainably and trusts its communities to lead.
As Ghana’s First Lady, Lordina Mahama, aptly noted, the fight demands courage, collaboration and sustained investment. Africa has the expertise, the leadership and the collective resolve. What remains is unwavering commitment.
ICASA 2025 has set the stage for a new era - one defined not by disease statistics but by resilience, dignity and the promise of an Africa free from AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
