Health ministers from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have started a week-long meeting in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. Ministers responsible for HIV/AIDS are also taking part, according to SAnews.
The government said the talks will focus on turning regional promises into real action. South Africa is hosting the meeting as the current chair of SADC.
The Department of Health said hosting the meeting shows South Africa’s commitment to regional solidarity. It said the region shares responsibility for its common health problems.
According to SAnews, one main topic is how the region prepares for health emergencies. Ministers will discuss early warning systems, disease tracking and sharing information across borders.
The government said special attention will go to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It said the region needs to be better ready to find, contain and respond to new disease threats.
Climate change is also on the agenda. SAnews said the El Nino weather pattern expected in 2026 and 2027 could worsen food shortages, hunger and water scarcity. It could also make people more open to diseases linked to the climate.
Ministers will look at disaster planning, nutrition programmes and cross-border teamwork. The aim is to protect vulnerable people and keep basic health services running, the government said.
The meeting will also discuss making more vaccines, medicines and test kits inside the region. According to SAnews, this would cut reliance on outside suppliers and make health products cheaper and easier to get.
Ministers will talk about the SADC Pharmaceutical Pooled Procurement Services. Under this plan, countries would buy medicines together. The government said this would use the region’s joint buying power to lower prices and secure supply.
Money for health is another topic. SAnews said ministers will look at ways to protect key health programmes as foreign aid falls and governments face tight budgets. This includes keeping HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention services going.
The ministers will review progress towards the 95-95-95 HIV targets. They will also discuss malaria control through cross-border disease tracking, mosquito control and fair access to supplies.
Other topics include sexual and reproductive health and rights, nutrition and diseases that spread between people. The government said ministers want health systems that can handle climate shocks and other new threats.
SAnews said South Africa took over the SADC chair earlier this year. The handover from Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa to President Cyril Ramaphosa was set for the 46th SADC Summit in eThekwini on 17 August 2026.
The meeting will end with SADC Malaria Day on Friday, 13 November. According to the Department of Health, the day will highlight the burden of malaria in the region and the need for joint work to end the disease.
Source: this article is based on reporting by SAnews.gov.za. Image: GCIS via SAnews.gov.za. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice News desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Kgomotso Maake covers news and politics for Tzaneen Voice. Kgomotso reports on government, Parliament, municipalities, courts, crime and service delivery across South Africa, with a close eye on how national decisions reach towns like Tzaneen and the wider Limpopo province. Stories are written in plain English and focus on the facts: who made the decision, what it means, and what happens next.