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AIDS Cross-Border Initiative with 12 SADC Member States (Angola, Botswana, DRC,
                                Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia
                                and Zimbabwe) to reduce HIV infections in the region and to mitigate the impact of
                                HIV and AIDS in mobile populations and affected communities.
                                           By the end of 2019, most SADC Member States were making progress towards
                                fast-track targets for testing, treatment and viral suppression; available data showed that
                                half of the Member States had reached the milestone of reducing Mother To Child Trans-
                                mission (MTCT) and were on the brink of eliminating MTCT.
                                           One of the achievements has been the adoption of standard, comprehensive strat-
                                egies by Member States to guide the development of national strategies and data collection.
                                The regional strategy on HIV care, treatment and prevention for key populations, and the
                                guide for HIV prevention among adolescent girls and young women and their sexual
                                partners were developed and approved.


                                Reduction in Tuberculosis Mortality
                                Tuberculosis incidence rates have been declining since 2015 in most SADC Member States
                                and there has been a significant reduction of TB mortality, with almost all Member States
                                achieving the 15 percent reduction target in TB mortality between 2015 and 2018. SADC
                                has developed a regional Tuberculosis Strategic Framework 2019-2024 anchored in the
                                declaration by SADC Heads of State and Government on the elimination of Tuberculosis
                                (TB) in the SADC region, encompassing issues of TB in the Mining Sector and aligned to
                                global commitments and instruments that support the implementation of programmes
       118                      aimed at eliminating tuberculosis as a disease of public concern by the year 2020.
                                Intensified Response to Malaria
                                Harmonised minimum standards for the prevention, treatment and management of ma-
                                laria have been developed to promote health through support for the control of communi-
                                cable diseases; and preparedness, surveillance and responses during emergencies. Eight
                                SADC Member States are pushing towards eliminating malaria by 2030 -- Angola, Bots-
                                wana, Eswatini, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. These
                                                              countries  have  formed  a  partnership  called  the
                                                              “Elimination 8” to collaborate across borders to
                                                              eliminate local malaria transmissions, geared to-
                                                              wards malaria elimination, and improvements have
                                                              been noted.
                                                                    A tripartite agreement in form of a Mem-
                                                              orandum of Understanding was signed between the
                                                              SADC Secretariat, the African Leaders Malaria Al-
                                                              liance (ALMA) and the Roll Back Malaria (RBM)
                                                              in 2019 to provide a framework for collaboration
                                                              and cooperation. The parties agreed on mutually re-
                                                              enforcing the goal of reaching international malaria
                                                              targets by 2030, as set by African Heads of State in
                                                              the Catalytic Framework to end AIDS and TB and
                                                              eliminate Malaria in Africa by 2030; as well as the
                                                              Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016–2030;
                                                              and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The
                                                              MoU is underpinned by the Windhoek Declaration
                                                              on  Eliminating  Malaria  in  the  SADC  Region,
                                                              signed by SADC Heads of States and Governments
                                                              in  August  2018,  which  defined  priority  actions
                                                              requiring urgent attention for the elimination of
                                                              Malaria in the region.
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