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The Regional Director of the United Nations Population Fund for East and Southern Africa, Lydia Zigomo, states that the SADC region remains at the forefront worldwide in addressing HIV, with ongoing declines in new infections and deaths from AIDS, thanks to a mix of prevention efforts and expanded treatment access.

“We stand at a critical juncture where progress may either be quickened, maintained, or undone,” Zigomo stated.

Addressing the SADC Health Ministers Meeting taking place in Sandton, close to Johannesburg, Zi mentioned that the SADC region is at a crucial turning point in 2026.

“While the SADC region has shown outstanding leadership in making reproductive rights a central part of sustainable development, we are now at a crucial point where our achieved progress is still vulnerable,” Zigomo stated.

Zigomo stated in 2025 that the SADC region is actively implementing a new global strategy—a plan aimed at speeding up its joint progress toward 2030.

“Our goal continues to be unwavering. We are expanding our efforts to attain the three Transformative outcomes of Zero preventable maternal deaths, Zero unmet demand for family planning, and Zero instances of gender-based violence and harmful traditions,” she stated.

Zigomo mentioned that in East and Southern Africa, the SADC region acknowledges that HIV prevention goes beyond being a health objective—it is essential.

It is not possible to reverse the progress made, particularly for our adolescent girls and young women who still bear the greatest responsibility.

“In 2018, this area made a courageous decision. With the guidance of the governments of South Africa, Eswatini, and Namibia, the SADC SRHR Strategy was approved as a commitment to every woman and girl in Southern Africa,” she stated.

“Seven years later, the mid-term review shows that this was not just empty words. The region has transitioned from policy to strong action,” Zigomo stated.

As per Zigomo, more than 163 laws, policies, and strategies have been created or enhanced within the areas of maternal health, HIV, family planning, adolescent SRHR, CSE, and gender equality, with the SADC region scorecard indicating clear advancements.

Significant reductions in maternal death rates have been observed in nations like Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe, with some areas reporting decreases as high as 50%.

“The area remains at the forefront of the global HIV response, with ongoing declines in new infections and deaths from AIDS, fueled by a mix of prevention and treatment expansion,” Zigomo stated.

The South African Minister of Health, Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi, is leading the meeting and is set to deliver the final speech later this afternoon.

South Africa is organizing a combined meeting of Health Ministers and other officials in charge of HIV and AIDS across the SADC region to address key health matters, assess advancements in regional health agreements, and enhance cooperation in tackling common public health problems.

The area still deals with a heavy disease burden marked by the triple challenge of high rates of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria. This situation is worsened by increasing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and climate-related health issues like waterborne illnesses such as cholera.

The SADC region represents at least one-third of the global population affected by HIV and AIDS, with eight member nations ranking among the countries with the highest tuberculosis rates.

In contrast, approximately 75% of the area’s population is still vulnerable to malaria, a severe yet preventable and curable illness. –SAnews.gov.za