The Extra-Ordinary Joint Meeting of SADC Ministers Responsible for Health and Ministers Responsible for HIV and AIDS was convened under the leadership of His Excellency, Dr Hage G. Geingob, President of the Republic of Namibia, and Chairperson of SADC under the Theme: “Our Pathway to Sustained HIV Epidemic Control”.
The ministerial meeting was preceded from 17-19 June 2019 by the “SADC Regional Conference on HIV and AIDS”. The Regional Conference was attended by SADC Member States’ Senior Officials for Health and HIV and AIDS, and by delegates from United Nations Institutions, Development Partners, Research Institutions and Civil Society. The main output of the Regional Conference was the development of the draft “The SADC Road Map for Sustained Health, HIV and AIDS Response” and its implementation plan to be submitted for approval by SADC Ministers in charge of Health and HIV and AIDS. The purpose of the Road Map is to guide SADC response towards achieving the HIV and AIDS Fast Track Targets, in the context of Universal Health Coverage and Sustainable Development Goals and taking into consideration the current landscape of the HIV response which is characterised by the reduction of international funding.
The Extra-Ordinary Joint Meeting of SADC Ministers Responsible for Health and Ministers Responsible for HIV and AIDS took place on the 20th June, 2019. It was chaired by Honorable Dr Kalumbi Shangula, Minister of Health and Social Services. 10 (ten) SADC Members States were represented by substantives ministers or their representatives.
Ministers approved the SADC Road Map for Sustained Health and HIV and AIDS Responses. Its implementation plan is articulated around 4 main components of the transition and sustainability, including: Policy and Governance, Planning and Programming, Service Delivery and Financing.
Ministers directed the SADC Secretariat to work closely with UNAIDS and other partners to conduct the assessment of initiatives by Member States on transition and sustainability and submit a report during the next ordinary Joint Meeting in November 2019. They also directed the Secretariat to initiate the process of revising the SADC Framework of Action for Sustainable Financing for Health and HIV approved in 2014 in Victoria Falls.
