SADC Ministers of Health Convene to Address Regional Health Challenges
SADC Ministers of Health and those responsible for HIV & AIDS gathered in Harare, Zimbabwe, to discuss pressing health issues in the Southern African region. The meeting, chaired by Zimbabwe’s Minister of Health and Child Care, Honourable Dr. Douglas Mombeshora, highlighted the need for swift, decisive action to combat major health threats, including HIV & AIDS, TB, and malaria.
The Ministers emphasized the importance of timely program implementation to achieve better health outcomes and address these challenges effectively.
During the discussions, Ministers addressed the epidemiological situation of disease outbreaks, underscoring the importance of sharing information on epidemic-prone diseases in a timely manner to mitigate cross-border transmission. The meeting commended the support of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and other international partners and urged the SADC Secretariat to expedite the development of a regional health dashboard in collaboration with these partners.
Ministers also focused on the need for local and regional manufacturing to strengthen health security in the region. This includes ensuring an adequate supply of essential medicines, vaccines, and health commodities. Additionally, they discussed the need to expand immunization programs, especially for children, and stressed the urgency of reaching “zero dose” children who have missed routine vaccinations.
Ms. Angele Makombo Ntumba, SADC’s Deputy Secretary for Regional Integration, highlighted the importance of Member States’ participation in the development and ratification of the Pandemic Treaty and the revision of the International Health Regulations (IHR). These measures are essential to strengthening the region’s ability to respond to future pandemics and build resilient health systems.
Dr. Ntumba also pointed out the under-investment in key areas like surgical healthcare, a critical sector that has often been neglected. To address this, the SADC Secretariat is collaborating with the WHO and the University of the Witwatersrand to develop a Regional Strategy on Surgical, Obstetrics, and Anaesthesia Care.
Progress in the fight against HIV was also acknowledged, with a 57% decrease in new infections and a 52% reduction in AIDS-related deaths in 2023. Ministers commended the ongoing work to eliminate preventable maternal mortality and endorsed several key initiatives, including the SADC Strategy on Overweight and Obesity Prevention. Given the high rates of overweight and obesity in the region, which contribute to a rise in non-communicable diseases, Ministers urged the development of preventive country action plans.
The Ministers also discussed the 2024 SADC HIV and AIDS Epidemic Report, urging Member States to implement its recommendations. They emphasized the importance of expanding integrated care, increasing ART coverage for children and adolescents, and addressing the rising HIV epidemic in Madagascar with the support of international partners.
The meeting concluded with a call for increased private sector engagement and the sharing of best practices among Member States to improve health financing and reform health systems across the region.
Source: SADC
