‘Zim well prepared to host ICASA’

Mukudzei Chingwere

Herald Reporter

Zimbabwe is now ready to host the 22nd International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA 2023) later this year, president of the Society for AIDS in Africa Dr David Parirenyatwa said after the second meeting of the international steering committee in Harare recently.

President Mnangagwa has pledged that the Government supports Zimbabwe hosting a successful conference. ICASA organisers say they are encouraged by the level of preparedness.

The President has also said Zimbabwe will use the conference to sharpen and re-invigorate national responses to HIV and AIDS.

“Zimbabwe is now so ready, right from Governmental level through the Ministry of Health and Child Care and the National AIDS Council. I am very impressed as president of ICASA,” said Dr Parirenyatwa.

“We do not want any mistakes. So far we have had this meeting here which is a preparatory meeting for December. As it is a preparatory meeting, we were very thorough in looking at final speakers who will speak, who are the back-up speakers, what topics are being presented to us, are they apt, are they relevant?

“This was a technical meeting but very scientific and very preparatory and I am very happy the preparations are on target. People are enthusiastic, the United Nations bodies are supporting us fully and we are happy,” said Dr Parirenyatwa.

National AIDS Council chief executive officer Dr Bernard Madzima said last week’s meeting dealt with intricate details for a successful conference.

The meeting had brought together global experts to share notes and co-ordinate with the local committee.

“We have had our two-day international steering committee meeting for ICASA 2023 and we have managed to go through the programme and achieved our objectives,” said Dr Madzima.

“The main objective was to finalise on the thematic areas of the scientific committee, the leadership committee and the community programme.

“So, we managed to set up those committees; we agreed on the agenda; the topics which will be discussed during ICASA and also the speakers. We have finalised the pre-conference meetings.

“One of the agenda items was to set-up the local secretariat for ICASA and to set-up the international secretariat.

“So, the local secretariat is headed by the (Vice President and) Minister of Health and Child Care Dr Constantino Chiwenga,” said Dr Madzima. 

Dr Madzima said the budget for the conference was now in place and there would be another marathon meeting in August to tie up the loose ends.