NGO happy with Mutharika’s presidency at OAFLA

The NGO Gender Coordination Network (NGO-GCN) says it is happy that First Lady Madam Gertrude Mutharika is now president of the Organisation of African First Ladies against HIV and AIDS (OAFLA) since Malawi will benefit.

Executive Director for NGO-GCN Emma Kaliya said Mutharika’s position will help the country in terms of benefits like funding as she will be able to fight for Malawi to get support.

“I appreciate the position given to Madam Mutharika as it will help to put Malawi on the map as well as helping a lot to expose Malawi for funding where required,” said Kaliya.

She added that the position will help women to have someone to lobby for them on issues affecting them in the country.

According to Kaliya, Mutharika’s position is a great advantage to women as they will have a better life since the first lady is at the forefront fighting HIV/AIDS.

Meanwhile, the National Organisation of Nurses and Midwives (Nonm) has appealed to the first lady to use her power as the president of OAFLA to mobilize resources for the fight against HIV and AIDS which has highly affected women and children.

“We are appealing to the first lady of this country Madam Gertrude Mutharika to use this opportunity to mobilise resources in the fight against HIV and AIDS,” Nonm president Dr Dorothy Ngoma said.

Ngoma also pledged to support the country’s first lady with medical personnel who can work with in reduction of HIV/AIDs. Mutharika was chosen to be OAFLA president on 24 January 2017, taking over from former First Lady of Ghana Lordina Dramani Mahama who left office following her husband’s loss in the country’s elections.

Mutharika will hold the office up to the organisation’s next election, later this year Additional reporting by Martha Chikoti.