Sadc to pool pharmaceuticals

Wallace Ruzvidzo-Herald Reporter

SADC members will start buying pharmaceuticals in bulk as a unit as they intensify the implementation of the SADC Pooled Procurement Services (SPPS) for pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, the regional body’s Secretariat has said.

The Sadc Council of Ministers, at its meeting held in Harare last March, approved the establishment of the SPPS as an organisation of subsidiarity, through a charter.

The charter will provide the legal and institutional foundation for the SPPS, defining its governance, operational autonomy, relationship with SADC and parameters for member states participation.

In a communiqué yesterday, the SADC Secretariat said the Executive Secretary Mr Elias Magosi and the director-general of the Medical Stores Department of Tanzania Mr Mavere Tukai reaffirmed their commitment to the implementation of the SADC SPPS for pharmaceuticals and medical supplies.

“The two agreed to collaborate on intensifying advocacy and awareness activities to highlight the benefits of the SPPS initiative through high-level engagements with Member States, including participation of the Executive Secretary at the Ministers of Health meeting to raise more awareness and political will to increase the uptake of the SPPS,” said SADC.

On his part, Mr Magosi called for the speedy constitution of the Regional Steering Committee comprising representatives from all SADC member states, to drive the SPPS implementation.

“The Director-General of Medical Stores Department of Tanzania (MSD) extended an invitation to the SADC Executive Secretary to visit MSD to appreciate the work of the MSD and strengthen the existing collaboration between the SADC Secretariat and MSD,” said the Secretariat.

Meanwhile, SADC, with the support of the German Government and Global Water Partnership Southern Africa are hosting a two-day workshop in Lusaka for SADC Resource Mobilisation and Transboundary Water Investment to validate the draft resource mobilisation plan for the SADC regional strategic action plan on Integrated water resources management.

The workshop is being held under the theme: “Scaling up transboundary water investments and resource mobilisation to unlock economic growth, industrial transformation and climate resilience in the SADC”.

“The workshop will also focus on enhancing cooperation, building capacity, improving financing mechanisms, and equipping participants with tools to secure funding for transboundary water projects.”