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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.