CPLP side event on HIV
MAPUTO, Mozambique, 23 July 2012 - On Friday 20 July a Forum on HIV Vertical Transmission, a side event of the CPLP Summit, was held at Hotel Avenida in Maputo under the auspices of the Office of the First Lady of Mozambique The panel was composed by the First Ladies of Mozambique, Dr Maria da Luz Dai Guebuza and Portugal, Dr Maria Cavaco Silva, the Vice Minister of Health, Dr Nazira Abdula, a pregnant seropositive woman from Sofala leading the group mae para mae, Ms. Afua and Emanuele Capobianco on behalf of the United Nations. The event was well attended by a variegated audience (members of the Assembleia da Republica, civil society, religious leaders, traditional leaders, several journalists, etc.).
Only the Mozambican First Lady read a speech. All the others were asked questions by Bordina Muala, a leading journalist from SOICO, SA who later opened the floor to the audience. There was a good atmosphere and various panelists recognized progress made by Mozambique but also talked about the challenges of the current system. In the slot for the United Nations, Emanuele made reference to (i) the progress made by Mozambique in the expansion of coverage and in the integration of HIV into MCH services, (ii) the challenge of keeping people under treatment; (iii) the objectives of the declaration signed by Mozambique last July in New York (0 new infections, 0 stigma, 0 deaths due to HIV) and (iv) the UN's continuous role to support the fight against HIV through technical and financial support to various actors. After the event, Emanuele attended a lunch with the two First Ladies and was able to extensively talk to the Portuguese First Lady about key areas of UN involvement (HIV, extractive industries, immunization, malnutrition et al.). From UN Maputo side other participants in the forum included Raul Cabral, UNAIDS Country Director, Marta Bazima, UNAIDS Programme Specialist, Dezi Mahotas. Health Specialist and Gabriel Pereira, Communication Officer, both from UNICEF. For more information, please contact Gabriel Pereira, UNICEF Mozambique, tel. (+258) 21 481 100; email: maputo@unicef.org
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