SADC ministers to discuss HIV/AIDS in region at Namibia

Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Tuesday November 6, 2018 11:15

 

They will be reviewing public health issues aimed at contributing toward the attainment of improved quality of life of people in the region and community in general.  In a press release issued by SADC Executive Secretary Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax states that the ministers are expected to provide a collective oversight on the implementation of the regional health agenda, as guided by the SADC Protocol on Health, the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan and the SADC Health Policy. 

She says the meeting will also consider progress on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development that includes the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by world leaders in September 2015.

“Among other issues, the following will be discussed; the implementation of regional Nutrition Work Plan and status of nutrition using the most recent data with a focus on the World Health Assembly targets for improving maternal, infant and child nutrition, the roadmap for the Development of a Regional Food Fortification Monitoring Framework and capacity building of the member states, merging and re-emerging Zoonotic Diseases, especially the outbreak of Ebola in May 2018 in Equator Province, in the north western part of the Democratic Republic of Congo and others,” she noted.

She also highlighted that they would be discussing Malaria Control and Elimination through continued efforts to rollout Articulate Treatment for severe malaria; to ensure regular Artemisinin drug efficacy monitoring to prevent a drug resistant malaria outbreak and strengthen vector, end to the Tuberculosis (TB) epidemic, which continues to be a major contributor to the burden of diseases in the SADC region, progress update on the HIV and AIDS on the implementation of HIV and AIDS interventions, as well as the report of the Implementation of the SADC HIV and AIDS Cross Border Initiative (CBI) and  the implementation of the SADC Pooled Procurement Services, which will improve “sustainable availability and access to affordable, quality, safe and efficacious essential medicines”.

On November 9, 2018, the SADC Ministers of Health and Ministers Responsible for HIV and AIDS will take part in the Commemoration of the SADC Malaria Day to be held in Kayengona village, Kavango East region where the minister will conduct Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Tests at a local clinic, household indoor residual spraying, interact share information and create awareness on malaria.  The SADC Malaria Day will highlight the plight of malaria among communities at risk and to advocate for support from key decision makers and stakeholders for malaria control efforts in the region.  This year’s theme for SADC Malaria Day is ‘Strong Cross border collaboration is key to Malaria Elimination’ and the slogan is ‘SADC Unite to End Malaria’.