On the 28th August 2012, the newly appointed UNAIDS Country Coordinator to Sierra Leone Dr. Job Sagbohan paid a courtesy call to Her Excellency, The First Lady of The Republic of Sierra Leone Madam Sia Nyama Koroma at her residence at Hill Station. He was accompanied and introduced by Dr. Brima Kargbo, the Director   of The National AIDS Secretariat (NAS) and by Mr. Bockari Samba, the UNAIDS Programme Officer.

It may be recalled that the Director of NAS was with the First Lady at the United Nations General Assembly High Level Meeting on AIDS in New York on 8th to 10th June 2011 where they participated in a special session on Mother to Child transmission of HIV. The same year, shortly after UN High Level Meeting, the First Lady launched the virtual elimination agenda within her capacity as a member of OAFLA and her overall framework on WISH (Womens’ Initiative for Safer Health). This platform provides the opportunity for the First Lady to take the leadership and the advocacy for the sexual and reproductive health and the human rights for women, girls and people living with HIV. Sierra Leone has made tremendous strides in reducing the number of infants born to HIV infected mothers. Coverage of PMTCT sites is 57% nationwide and the percentage of children born without HIV from HIV positive mothers is 95%, and prevalence among pregnant women is at 3.2%

In his opening statement, the UNAIDS Country Coordinator thanked the President, the national authorities and the people of Sierra Leone for the opportunity accorded to him to serve in the country and contributed to the fight against HIV and AIDS. He further thanked Her Excellency for the support accorded to his predecessors and to the UNAIDS Country office.

He conveyed warm greetings from the Executive Director of UNAIDS, Michel Sidibe and his appreciation for the passion and  commitment of the First Lady to the progress so far in the elimination of mother to child transmission agenda in Sierra Leone. He informed the First Lady of the firm instructions from the Executive Director to support her endeavors and initiatives in implementing the agenda of the elimination of the transmission of HIV from mother to child in Sierra Leone; He appreciated and commended the First Lady on behalf of the Michel Sidibe for her active and fruitful participation to OAFLA and the high level meeting in New York in 2011.

In the same line he thanked through the First Lady His Excellency, the President of the Republic on behalf of his hierarchy for his active and personal involvement and commitment to the national response to HIV epidemic which take the fight at highest political level in the country with good performances. This justifies the well-deserved nomination of the country to seat at the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board.

He concluded his statement by availing himself to the First Lady and seeking her advice and guidance on the best way the UNAIDS Country Office will support her efforts and initiatives on the national response.

Dr. Job Sagbohan presenting his statement to the First Lady, H.E Sia Nyama Koroma

In her remarks, the First Lady on behalf of the President Dr. Ernest Koroma and members of her office thanked The UCC and welcomed him to Sierra Leone. She said since she became First Lady she has been thoroughly engaged in working with the National AIDS Secretariat and commended Dr Brima Kargbo, Director of NAS for being proactive, organized   and committed to the National Response.

From Left to Right: Mr. Bockari Samba, NPO; Dr. Job Sagbohan, UCC; H.E Sia  Koroma, First Lady; Dr. Brima Kargbo, Director NAS

Click here to read the Statement read by Dr. Job to his first point of call to Her Excellency