AfDB grants U$9.57m for SADC health resilience
The board of directors of the African Development Fund (AfDB) has approved a $9.57 million grant to bolster regional health security and emergency preparedness across the Southern African Development Community. Approved on 3 March 2026, the funding will be directed toward the Resilient Health Systems for Emergency Preparedness Project, which is designed to enhance the region's ability to respond to public health and nutrition crises.
The project addresses the chronic vulnerability of health systems in the SADC region, which frequently face zoonotic outbreaks, cholera epidemics, and high rates of malnutrition. Kennedy Mbekeani, the AfDB's director general for Southern Africa, noted that the initiative targets the fragility caused by limited human resources and inadequate emergency infrastructure.
A significant portion of the project focuses on building a sustainable pool of regional expertise. The initiative includes training for 449 laboratory technicians, community health workers, and trainers, with a specific focus on gender mainstreaming. Additionally, 35 nutrition coordinators will receive certification to manage gender-responsive emergencies, while curriculum revisions are expected to benefit approximately 240 students annually by integrating the "One Health" approach and climate change adaptation.
The project will also fund the renovation and equipping of diagnostic, wastewater, and environmental surveillance laboratories across six beneficiary countries. Key infrastructure developments include modernising the Instituto Nacional de Saúde in Mozambique to function as a regional reference laboratory and strengthening the national blood bank in Lesotho.
To manage and control the spread of diseases across borders, a regional framework for model laboratories will be established. This includes the deployment of a mobile cross-border laboratory at strategic points between Mozambique and Zimbabwe. By integrating data systems and enhancing laboratory capacities, the project aims to create a more resilient and interconnected health network across Southern Africa.
