African Union (AU) Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, Amb. Amma A. Twum-Amoah, has commended the significant progress made in expanding access to life-saving treatment for millions of Africans living with HIV.

Speaking at the ongoing AU Extraordinary Health Summit in Accra on Tuesday, July 21, she described the achievement as a major milestone in the continent's efforts to combat HIV/AIDS.

"Our continent has achieved hard-won progress. Millions of people living with HIV now have access to life-saving treatment," she disclosed.

"African institutions have demonstrated their capacity to lead coordinated responses to public health emergencies. These gains deserve recognition, but they cannot become an excuse for complacency," she added.

Despite the progress, Amb. Twum-Amoah noted that sub-Saharan Africa remains the epicentre of the epidemic, with nearly two-thirds of the world's people living with HIV residing in the region.

"The unfinished agenda remains immense; nearly two-thirds of all people living with HIV are in Sub-Saharan Africa," she noted.

She therefore called on African leaders and stakeholders to renew their commitment to addressing the continent's health challenges, stressing the need for stronger collaboration and sustained investment to build resilient healthcare systems and effectively respond to future health crises.