By Mackie M. Jalloh
First Lady of Sierra Leone, Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, has successfully departed the Freetown International Airport, Lungi, en route to Accra, Ghana, where she will join global health leaders and policymakers for the 23rd Edition of the International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa (ICASA). The conference, one of the continent’s most influential health platforms, brings together heads of state, first ladies, researchers, civil society, and development partners committed to advancing Africa’s response to HIV, STIs, and broader public health challenges.
Dr. Fatima Bio’s participation this year carries heightened significance, not only because of Sierra Leone’s ongoing efforts to strengthen public health resilience, but also because she is attending in her capacity as President of the Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD). With this continental mandate, she is expected to play a central role in shaping strategic discourse and advocating for accelerated progress towards eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B across Africa.
Upon arrival in Accra, the First Lady will deliver a keynote statement at the High-Level Meeting on Ending Mother-to-Child Transmission and the Triple Elimination of HIV, Syphilis, and Hepatitis B in Africa. This gathering is one of ICASA’s most important policy dialogues, as it focuses on protecting the health and future of African mothers and children—groups that remain disproportionately vulnerable in many regions.
In her address, Dr. Fatima Bio is expected to emphasize the urgent need for renewed political will, cross-border collaboration, and stronger health systems capable of withstanding both existing and emerging global challenges. Across the continent, the economic aftershocks of global crises, fluctuating commodity markets, and financial constraints have weakened public health infrastructures. These pressures have stalled or reversed gains in maternal and child health indicators in several African countries. Against this backdrop, OAFLAD’s leadership under Dr. Bio has increasingly focused on mobilizing governments and development partners to prioritize prevention, testing, and early treatment interventions.
The triple elimination agenda—targeting HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B—is viewed by African health experts as one of the continent’s most achievable yet urgently needed public health goals. Achieving it demands not only clinical interventions but also socially-driven solutions that address stigma, gender inequality, and access disparities. As OAFLAD President, Dr. Bio has been vocal about the need to confront the structural challenges that limit women’s access to timely antenatal care, comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services, and accurate health information.
Her mission in Accra is widely seen as a continuation of Sierra Leone’s growing leadership role in regional health advocacy. In recent years, the First Lady has championed initiatives that emphasize the empowerment of women and girls as a key driver of improved health outcomes. Her work aligns with the broader OAFLAD vision of strengthening community-level solutions, promoting inclusive policymaking, and ensuring that African women—particularly those in rural areas—benefit from equitable access to healthcare services.
The ICASA conference, now in its 23rd edition, provides a major continental platform for the exchange of research findings, innovations, and strategies aimed at advancing Africa’s health security. With thousands of delegates expected, the 2025 gathering is poised to influence policy directions for years to come. Dr. Fatima Bio’s contribution, especially on the issue of mother-to-child transmission, is anticipated to reinforce Africa’s commitment to protecting its next generation and to sustaining collective momentum toward ending preventable infections.
As the First Lady settles into her engagements in Accra, expectations remain high that her leadership—both as Sierra Leone’s First Lady and OAFLAD President—will help catalyze renewed continental action in safeguarding maternal and child health, even amid challenging global economic realities.
