The gathering also brings together the region’s other Ministers responsible for HIV and AIDS treatment and prevention to the SA city of Johannesburg. The delegates say there are about twelve agenda items, ranging from pandemic outbreaks that are happening in the region, like mpox, cholera, to issues around malaria, TB and HIV. The department’s Director for Africa and Middle East Relations, Dr Moeketsi Modisenyane says a number of accountability measures will also be launched.

“There will be also the launch of the SADC scorecard on sexual and reproductive health and rights. But also you might have also taken note of the fact that there’s been decline in terms of official development assistance. So many countries have, aid was cut from those countries. and as such the ministers of health are going to discuss the issues around domestic health financing. And the other one that is also very important is the issues of local manufacturing. You might know that the African Union has a program to ensure that Africa produce its own medicine and other medical products. So the ministers are going to discuss the issues of regional manufacturing of medical products in the region,” Modisenyane said.

–SABC–