The First Lady of Chad, Hinda Déby Itno, has been appointed as the UNAIDS Special Ambassador for the Prevention of HIV and the Protection and Health of Adolescents by the Executive Director of UNAIDS, Michel Sidibé.

During the appointment ceremony, which took place on 21 November at the Presidential Palace in N’Djamena, Chad, Mr Sidibé highlighted the many initiatives that the First Lady had put in place as a member of the Organisation of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS. He urged her to continue her leadership in the response to HIV in areas as diverse as the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, gender equality and access to sexual and reproductive health services. He also noted that the personal involvement of the First Lady had helped in the passing of a law promoting sexual and reproductive health issues and the outlawing of female genital mutilation.

“Every child deserves a life without HIV,” said Ms Itno.

During his two-day visit to Chad, Mr Sidibé also met with the President of Chad, Idriss Déby Itno, during which they spoke about health and HIV, the challenges of the response to HIV in the country and the role of African youth in the AIDS response.

Mr Sidibé also met with civil society in Chad, who he congratulated for the campaign to reduce of cost of HIV treatment in the country. Mr Sidibé said that civil society has a role to play in ensuring that the resources invested in the responses against malaria, tuberculosis and HIV are used efficiently, considering the shortage of such resources.