International Organization for Migration (IOM) supported a Multi-sectorial High Level Dialogue during the SADC Health Minister meeting hosted by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, on 14 January. The meeting brought together SADC health ministers, development partners, donors, private sector companies and civil society to discuss coordinated interventions to eliminate HIV/AIDS, Malaria and TB in Southern Africa by 2030.

The high level dialogue advocated for innovative and sustainable funding solutions for the three diseases, HIV, TB and Malaria. It was also aimed at reiterating the SADC Ministers commitment to eliminate the 3 diseases – HIV, TB and Malaria in the region in joint corporation with development partners and private sector, and demonstrate how the health agenda can be enhanced through strategic partnerships and regional programming and collaboration, particularly taking into consideration the issue of population mobility in the region.

This meeting took forward the recommendations and discussions held at Malaria Endemic Countries July 2014 Victoria Falls meeting which discussed the issue of malaria in the context of migration and human mobility and the need for innovative financing approaches to achieve the malaria elimination vision, as well as the recent Malaria Regional Dialogue Meeting held in Johannesburg on October hosted by the SADC Private Sector Constituency (SADC PSC), which further recommended that strategic partnerships are key to eliminating HIV, TB and Malaria by 2030

Further, the meeting had a distinct focus on strengthening collaboration between the private sector and other key development stakeholders in the region towards supporting SADC and its Member States in support of a coordinated and integrated response to the three diseases with a specific focus on addressing the issues of sustainable financing.

Dr. Erick Ventura, IOM’s Migration & Health Regional Coordinator says links between population mobility and communicable diseases in the SADC region have been recognized and articulated in various research and policy instruments, including the draft SADC Policy Framework on Population Mobility and Communicable Diseases (2009).

“Human mobility is central to development discussions, with special focus on labor migration – tourism, mining, agriculture, etc… Health issues such as HIV, TB and Malaria pose serious threats to the development of these industries; therefore it is for this reason that efforts and commitment to fight such communicable diseases should be highly intensified both by governments and private sector partners because it significantly benefits all stakeholders.  It is very imperative that a multi-sectorial approach is explored as far as funding for health initiatives is concerned,” said Dr. Ventura.

For more information please contact Ntokozo Mahlangu at IOM Pretoria, Tel: +27 76 532 8295, Email:nmahlangu@iom.int