The Extra Ordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) on the Cholera situation in the Region was held virtually and chaired by the Republic of Angola on the 2nd February, 2024.
The Summit endorsed the following recommendations of the Ministers of Health on measures to be put in place by the SADC region in addressing the Cholera outbreak, urging Member States to:
• develop and implement multisectoral cholera response plans that encompass natural disasters and climatic effects on cholera re-emergence to effectively control its spread;
• strengthen regional collaboration on cross-border outbreak risk assessment and public health surveillance to enhance early detection and prevention of outbreak-prone diseases;
• jointly plan and implement synchronised cross border vaccination campaigns against Cholera, if necessary, and mobilise vaccines for affected and non-affected countries at risk, and report annually to Council;
• increase investment in the current cholera emergency response while maintaining long-term investment for a sustainable solution to the recurrent cholera crisis;
• develop and implement climate-resilient Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and Disaster Risk Reduction programmes to prevent future cholera outbreaks;
• accelerate local and regional manufacturing of cholera vaccines to scale up production and increase access to commodities such as Oral Rehydrating Solutions (ORS), and cholera beds, to improve control on the supply chain security and accelerate technology and knowledge transfer;
• increase investment in WASH infrastructure, and provide efficient waste management and sustainable supply of clean water;
• increase budget allocation towards WASH programmes; and
• strengthen accountability tools for monitoring WASH interventions and local governments reporting on their WASH performance annually.
The Summit commended the following International Cooperating Partners, namely: the Africa CDC, WHO, UNICEF and WFP for the technical and financial support towards the cholera response in the SADC region.
The Summit designated His Excellency Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia, as the regional Cholera Champion to spearhead the fight against cholera in the SADC region.
The Summit extended its appreciation to the Chairperson of SADC, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola, for convening the Extraordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government on cholera.
The Chairperson of SADC expressed gratitude to all Heads of State and Government for attending the Extraordinary Summit and for their steadfast commitment to ensuring the health and well-being of the people in the SADC region.
