Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries are looking to reduce their reliance on international pharmaceutical suppliers by strengthening local medicine production and buying essential drugs collectively.
This is among the key issues being discussed at a regional health meeting at the Durban International Convention Centre this week, bringing together officials from the 16 member states.
The meeting will run until Friday, with senior officials preparing recommendations for Health Ministers, who will meet on Thursday and Friday.
Health Department Director-General, Thembisile Xulu, says the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the region’s vulnerability.
“Local manufacturing becomes important when you look at what is happening now, geopolitically, with drugs, not being able to shift. We are trying to talk about local manufacturing, in the context of making sure that we’ve got local suppliers that are empowered, that have got technical transfer, that have got ability to be able to produce for the SADC region, in order for us not to find ourselves running short of supply of medication.”
Dr Thembisile Xulu, Director General of Health briefing the media on the sidelines of @SADC Health Ministers Meeting in Durban, The week-long meeting will discuss crucial health issues including solidarity during diseases outbreak, local manufacturing of medical products, etc. https://t.co/LOsSi380gr
— National Department of Health (@HealthZA) November 9, 2026
-Reporting by Gcinokuhle Malinga