The 23rd ordinary session of the National Council for the Fight Against AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections (CNLS-IST) was held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on October 28, 2026. The council aims to eliminate HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. The meeting was presided over by Captain Martha Céleste Anderson Dekomwin Médah, Minister Director of the Cabinet of the President of Faso, representing the Head of State and President of the CNLS-IST.
The session evaluated the implementation of recommendations and commitments from the previous meeting, validated the 2025 National Multisectoral Plan, and examined the 2026-2030 National Strategic Plan to combat HIV/AIDS and STIs. Captain Médah expressed satisfaction with the progress made, citing a maintained HIV prevalence of 0.5%, high coverage of screening and treatment, and encouraging progress in eliminating mother-to-child transmission.
The National Strategic Plan for 2026-2030 has a budget of $138.12 billion and aims to accelerate progress toward eliminating HIV/AIDS as a public health problem by 2030. Captain Médah instructed stakeholders to prioritize universal access to viral load testing, secure inputs, and transport samples, and to prescribe the examination systematically. He also urged the implementation of an emergency plan to combat pediatric HIV.
The Secretary Permanent of CNLS-IST, Dr. Seydou Ouattara, reported that the fight against HIV/AIDS in Burkina Faso is satisfactory, with around 90,000 people living with HIV under treatment, representing nearly 93% of cases. He emphasized the goal of advancing toward the 2030 target for HIV elimination.
Ernest-Moise Mushekuru, Coordinator Resident by Interim of the United Nations System, highlighted the importance of the regular session in measuring progress, addressing challenges, and making decisions to accelerate the national response. He stressed the collective responsibility to ensure access to quality prevention, care, and treatment services for all individuals living with HIV.
The stakeholders at the session recognized the progress made and the challenges still to be addressed. They emphasized the need for strengthened collaboration, alignment with national priorities, and mobilization of necessary resources to accelerate progress toward eliminating HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
The implementation of the new strategic plan and the mobilization of resources will be crucial in achieving the goal of eliminating HIV/AIDS in Burkina Faso by 2030. The country's efforts to combat the epidemic have been acknowledged, and stakeholders are committed to sustaining the momentum to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Key points
- The plan aims to eliminate HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
- The plan has a budget of $138.12 billion.
- Around 90,000 people living with HIV are under treatment in Burkina Faso.
