SADC Health Ministers to Tackle HIV, TB and Malaria in Joburg

According to South Africa’s Department of Health, discussions will focus on reviewing progress against existing regional health commitments and coordinating stronger responses to shared public health challenges.

Ministers of Health and senior officials responsible for HIV and AIDS from across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) will convene in Johannesburg next week for a high-level summit aimed at accelerating regional health action and strengthening cross-border collaboration.

The two-day meeting comes at a critical time for the region, which continues to face one of the heaviest disease burdens globally, alongside growing pressures from non-communicable diseases and climate-related health risks.

Region Faces Triple Burden of Disease

According to South Africa’s Department of Health, discussions will focus on reviewing progress against existing regional health commitments and coordinating stronger responses to shared public health challenges.

The SADC region remains disproportionately affected by:

• High HIV and AIDS prevalence — accounting for at least one-third of all people living with HIV globally

• Tuberculosis (TB) — with eight member states ranked among the countries with the highest TB rates worldwide

• Malaria — with approximately 75% of the region’s population at risk of infection

This burden is compounded by rising non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension and cancer, as well as climate-driven outbreaks of waterborne illnesses including cholera.

Strengthening Regional Leadership and Coordination

The meeting provides South Africa with an opportunity to reinforce its leadership role in shaping the regional health agenda in alignment with both national priorities and SADC commitments.

Health ministers will be joined by representatives from major international organisations, including:

• World Health Organisation (WHO)

• UNAIDS

• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

• UNESCO

• United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

• UNICEF

A central theme of the summit will be improving coordination of disease outbreak responses, particularly the timely sharing of information to prevent and manage cross-border health emergencies.

Key Agenda Items

Among the major issues expected to dominate deliberations are:

• Strategies to end the TB epidemic in Southern Africa

• Malaria control and elimination frameworks

• Implementation of the SADC Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Strategy and Scorecard

• Operationalisation of a Regional Health Financing Hub

• Assessment of health conditions in SADC correctional facilities

The inclusion of prison health assessments reflects growing recognition that correctional facilities can serve as high-risk environments for infectious disease transmission if not properly managed.

Driving Collective Action

The Department of Health emphasised that the meeting is designed to move beyond dialogue toward coordinated implementation, resource mobilisation and measurable outcomes.

With communicable diseases still placing significant strain on healthcare systems and public finances, regional alignment is viewed as essential to achieving long-term epidemic control and sustainable health security.

The Johannesburg summit is expected to conclude with renewed commitments to collaborative action, data sharing and strengthened financing mechanisms to address Southern Africa’s evolving health landscape.