In a news conference, the executive secretary presented the organisation??s activities with detailed happenings within the administration. «People who talk of vacancy at African Synergy do not know how the organisation functions». The Executive Secretary of African Synergy Against AIDS and Suffering, Jean Stéphane Biatcha has underscored that Hadjia Laraba Tandja, former First Lady of Niger, is still a founding member of African Synergy. It is only during the next conference of African Synergy that they will be able to know the next acting president of the association. Moreover the mandate of Laraba Tandja
ended in 2009 and was extended until the next conference of the association. Stéphane Biatcha was speaking yesterday during a press briefing in Yaounde during which he outlined the activities of the association since May 3, 2009. He told press men that people may be tempted to say there is no acting president at African Synergy but in effect this is not true. According to the Executive Secretary, Hadjia Laraba Tandja, is still alive and has not resigned from the organisation. The fact that her husband is no more the President of Niger does not mean she is no more a member of African Synergy. Besides Stephane Biatcha added that African Synergy is not only for First Ladies, for former First Ladies can be members of the association if they wish. The association has been structured in such a way that with or without an acting president, the Founding President, Mrs Chantal Biya, is more involved in the running of the association. Over 10 months, African Synergy has carried out activities in Africa, USA and Brazil in which they will come up with new partners to intensify the fight against HIV and other sufferings. Through a partnership with Sanofi Aventis in 2009, the association has been greatly involved in curbing non-infectious diseases such as cancer, hypertension, epilepsy, which are parts of the sufferings of African people not forgetting the association??s basic fight against HIV and sufferings, etc. Last month, the association launched the fight against epilepsy in Dakar under the patronage of the First Lady of Senegal, Viviane Wade. In February this year, the association also launched the second phase for the proper use of drugs dubbed BUM, in Burkina Faso. There are also plans to extend the fight against non-infectious diseases to Nigeria and other African countries. Although the activities of African Synergy have been positive, Jean Stephane Biatcha acknowledged that, they still have a long way to go because humanitarian domains are too big and no matter how much they do, they realise that they still have to do more to satisfy many people who need their services. For African Synergy to move on, the Executive Secretary said, they will continue to sign and seek potential partners to spearhead the cause of the association and to get more people involved in problems in Africa.
