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The 2001 Abuja declaration is a pledge  by the African Union member states to allocate at least 15% of their national budgets each year to improving their healthcare systems. However, for the countries in the  SADC, fulfilling this pledge has been a challenge. Having caused unprecedented damage, the COVID-19 pandemic has been a wakeup call for the region. And presents a unique opportunity for governments to critically examine their healthcare systems with a view to buttressing them against COVID-19 as it continues to play out and any possible future crisis. In this brief, the author proposes options for ensuring sustainable health financing for the SADC region which include forming a regional (supplementary) fund, strengthening local finance-generating mechanisms (such as improving tax compliance) and involving civil society organisations in ensuring transparency in governments’ use of funds.
 
The full brief can be accessed using the link below.