Southern Africa Cuts HIV Deaths, Maternal Mortality by 50%

Southern Africa is proving that bold health commitments can save lives on a massive scale.

Seven years after adopting an ambitious regional health strategy, countries including Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe have slashed maternal mortality rates by up to 50%. At the same time, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region continues to lead the world in reducing HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths.

"We are at a decisive moment where gains will either be accelerated, sustained or reversed," said Lydia Zigomo, UN Population Fund Regional Director for East and Southern Africa. She spoke this week at a meeting of SADC Health Ministers in Sandton, near Johannesburg.

The progress stems from a 2018 promise made to every woman and girl in the region. South Africa, Eswatini, and Namibia championed a comprehensive strategy addressing maternal health, HIV prevention, family planning, and gender equality.

The results speak for themselves. Over 163 laws, policies, and strategies have been developed or strengthened across the region. New HIV infections keep dropping thanks to scaled-up prevention and treatment programs.

The Ripple Effect

The health gains are transforming entire communities across Southern Africa. When maternal mortality drops and HIV infections decline, families stay intact and children grow up with their mothers. Young women can complete their education and pursue their dreams instead of facing preventable health crises.

The region still faces serious challenges. SADC countries account for one-third of all people living with HIV globally, and tuberculosis rates remain high in eight member states. Climate change is increasing waterborne diseases like cholera.

But health officials say the progress proves their approach works. The region is now implementing a new roadmap targeting zero preventable maternal deaths, zero unmet need for family planning, and zero gender-based violence by 2030.

"Seven years later, the mid-term review confirms that this was not merely rhetoric," Zigomo said. "The region has moved from policy to decisive action."

Adolescent girls and young women remain the top priority since they carry the heaviest disease burden. Protecting the gains already made will determine whether Southern Africa can build on this momentum or see hard-won progress slip away.

For now, the numbers tell a hopeful story of what coordinated regional action can achieve.