Regional Integration in the Context of HIV and AIDS, TB and Malaria: The case of SADC

1. Regional Integration in the Context of HIV and AIDS, TB and Malaria:The case of SADC Presentation at the XIX International AIDS Conference, Washington DC 22 July 2012 Eng. J S Caholo Deputy Executive Secretary for Regional Integration SADC Secretariat

2. Objectives of SADC • Promote sustainable and equitable economic growth and socio-economic development • Promote and maximise productive employment and resource utilization in the region • Combat HIV and AIDS or other deadly and communicable diseases (CD) • Mainstream gender in the process of community building

3. Instruments to Operationalize Regional Work • RISDP • Provides stakeholders with coherent and comprehensive long term Development Plan for the region • Protocols • e.g. Protocol on Health • Declarations • e.g. Declaration on HIV and AIDS • Strategic Plans and Code of Conducts • Regional Minimum Standards and Guidelines

4. SADC Protocol On Health • Developed in 1999 and ratified in 2004 • Articulates areas of regional cooperation on health • Aims to progressively achieve equivalence, harmonization, and standardization in the provision of health services • CD prioritized in the Health Protocol, specifically HIV and AIDS, TB, and Malaria • The Protocol calls for harmonization and standardization in areas such as: • Case Definition • Notifications systems • Treatment

5. CD a Public Health Concern • HIV and AIDS, TB, and Malaria are the largest contributors to morbidity and mortality in the region. • HIV burden • SADC accounts for a third of people living with HIV in the world • TB Burden • 8 SADC MS are among the 15 countries with the highest cases of TB in the world • HIV/TB Burden • 9 SADC MS account for 50 % of the global HIV cases associated with TB • Malaria Burden • 75% of the SADC population is at risk of contracting malaria • The trio are a threat to sustainable development of the region

6. Declarations to Support CD Programs • Declaration on HIV and AIDS • Adopted in 2003 • Reaffirms commitment to combating HIV and AIDS • Draft Declaration on TB in the Mining Sector • To be presented for review and possible approval by SADC Heads of State or Government in August 2012

7. Strategic Plans for CD • SADC HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan-2010 -2015 • SADC Strategic Framework for Control of Tuberculosis in the SADC Region – 2007 – 2015 • SADC Malaria Strategic Framework (2007-2015) • SADC Malaria Elimination Framework

8. Regional Minimum Standards • Prevention and management of HIV and AIDS • Prevention and management of TB including MDR & XDR TB • Prevention and Management of Malaria including elimination of Malaria • Minimum standards for special populations such as: • Military • Prisons • Mobile Populations

9. Domestication of Agreed Regional Standards • Advocacy for adaptation by national leaders • Training for enhancing skills in agreed areas • Monitoring progress in adaptation • Updating of policies • Impact in national indicators

10. Case studies for integration • Cross-border project on HIV and TB • Regional Centers for Excellence Quality Assurance for Laboratories in CD • Regional Centers for Excellence for Training on Laboratories • Regional Database for CD • Draft Framework for Mobile Populations and Communicable Diseases • Minimum Standards for Communicable Diseases and the Military

11. Monitoring and Evaluation • Regional Annual Epidemic Report on HIV and AIDS • Regional Annual Report on the Status of TB • Regional Annual Report on the Status of Malaria • Planning to have an integrated annual report on CD in future

12. Conclusion • CD are a key priority in the SADC region • Progress has been noted in all the three diseases • Progress has been made possible by both the commitment of MS and Support from International Cooperating Partners • SADC regional work has been instrumental in facilitating sharing of best practices and resources

13. Thank you To access documents from SADC's HIV and AIDS Programme, visit: www.k4health.org/toolkits/sadc