The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Executive Secretary Elias Magosi says the region is facing a renewed battle against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, with thousands of lives still at risk despite years of progress.
Magosi says about 3 000 young people acquire HIV every week, while nearly 285 000 estimated TB cases went undetected in reported figures in the region last year.
He has also raised the alarm over a 23% increase in malaria-related deaths.
He was speaking at a joint meeting of SADC Health Ministers in Durban.
“Our preparedness as a region and as respective countries will either make or break us. It will be the difference between our resilience, our continued survival and the improved well-being of our people, or continued crisis management, misaligned resources and the general decline of our health architecture and the services we provide.”
VIDEO | Malawi former Minister of Health Dr Peter Kumpalume says the region is facing a challenge of declining funding to fight HIV:
-Report by Gcinokuhle Malinga