Southern African Development Community Health Policy: Under Construction

The document argues that regional health policy in Southern Africa is 'under construction' and requires updated frameworks to address gaps in the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Plan (RISDP). It proposes five key areas for innovation: strengthening cross-border health initiatives for HIV/AIDS and malaria, renewing the expired SADC Pharmaceutical Business Plan to combat medicine stockouts, increasing civil society engagement for public accountability, developing regional health diplomacy through South-South cooperation and diplomat training, and transitioning from disease-specific 'vertical' healthcare to 'integrated' systems that combine vertical and horizontal approaches.

• The SADC Protocol on Health, signed on 18 August 1999, serves as the foundation for regional health development, focusing on primary health care and better access to services across member states.
• Cross-border initiatives for HIV/AIDS and Malaria are currently in early stages; the HIV/AIDS initiative uses Global Fund-supported mobile clinics for migrants and border communities, while the Malaria initiative focuses on synchronising interventions like indoor residual spraying and mosquito net distribution.
• Access to essential medicines in the SADC region is hindered by poor supply chain management, irregular procurement, and regulatory barriers, leading to nationwide stockouts. The SADC Pharmaceutical Business Plan (2009-2013) has expired and requires extension to ensure the availability of affordable, quality medicines, including African Traditional Medicines.
• There is a need for SADC to better integrate civil society into policy-making and implementation to ensure public accountability and the protection of human rights and medical ethics.
• The document suggests that SADC should enhance its regional health diplomacy by facilitating South-South cooperation and establishing postgraduate training for health diplomats to better manage global health challenges, such as Ebola outbreaks.
• The region has relied heavily on 'vertical' healthcare—disease-specific interventions for HIV/AIDS, TB, and Malaria—which risk diverting resources from comprehensive systems. The author advocates for 'integrated' responses that combine vertical interventions with 'horizontal' systems (publicly financed comprehensive primary care) to ensure long-term sustainability.

APA

Penfold, E. (2015). Southern African Development Community Health Policy: Under Construction. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/PRARI-Health-Policy-brief-December-2015-v2.pdf

Chicago

Penfold, Erica. Southern African Development Community Health Policy: Under Construction. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2015. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/PRARI-Health-Policy-brief-December-2015-v2.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Penfold |first1=Erica |title=Southern African Development Community Health Policy: Under Construction |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=December 2015 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/PRARI-Health-Policy-brief-December-2015-v2.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{penfold2015southern, author = {Penfold, Erica}, title = {{Southern African Development Community Health Policy: Under Construction}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2015}, month = dec, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/PRARI-Health-Policy-brief-December-2015-v2.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }