Strengthening Regional TB Advocacy: Southern Africa Health Leaders Convene in Multilateral Meeting

On Friday, leaders from across Southern Africa gathered in South Africa for a high-level multilateral meeting convened by the Global TB Caucus. The meeting brought together Chairs of Health Committees from Eswatini, Lesotho, South Africa, Malawi, and Zambia, alongside national and civil society leaders in TB and occupational health.

Health committee Chairs from Southern Africa meet in South Africa

Chaired by Hon. Dr. Christopher Kalila, Africa Regional Co-Chair of the Global TB Caucus, the meeting marked a renewed momentum for coordinated regional action against tuberculosis—one of the region’s leading infectious disease threats.

Key Outcomes and Highlights

1. Relaunch of the South Africa TB Caucus

   A major milestone was the planned relaunch of the South Africa TB Caucus, with the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC), led by CEO Dr. Thembisile Xulu, ready to support. Final confirmation is now pending from Hon. Aaron Motsoaledi, who has been invited to serve as Guest of Honour. This relaunch represents a renewed commitment to parliamentary leadership on TB in South Africa.

2. Regional TB Compensation Meeting Agreed

   A critical session focused on the compensation mechanisms for individuals who contracted TB while working in mines, with insights from the Medical Bureau for Occupational Diseases (Dr. Mpho Rabada) and the compensation fund representatives. It was agreed that a regional follow-up meeting will be held before the end of July, bringing together affected countries to receive updates on claims processing and to resolve key administrative concerns.

3. Caucus Relaunch in Lesotho

   Lesotho was encouraged to move forward with the relaunch of its National TB Caucus, with no barriers to proceeding. A firm date is now being awaited.

4. Parliamentary Commitment to Resource Mobilization

   Members of Parliament present at the meeting pledged to intensify engagement with their respective governments, and to leverage their partnerships to mobilize additional funding for TB response efforts.

5. Pushing Forward TB Diagnostics Advocacy

   The recently released TB Diagnostics Briefing was shared with all Chairs, who were urged to amplify its recommendations within their parliamentary structures to drive stronger policy support for timely TB diagnosis.

Rosemary Mburu, Executive Director of WACI Health, led an important session on upcoming G20 processes and the advocacy opportunities they present for African MPs. Civil society’s inclusion in this dialogue enriched the conversation and reinforced the value of multisectoral coordination in addressing TB and broader health equity.

The meeting equally benefited from the expertise of Prof. Norbert Ndjeka, Chief Director for TB Control and Management at South Africa’s Department of Health, who provided national insights on TB strategy and programmatic gaps that parliamentarians can help address.

This gathering exemplifies the power of regional cooperation, parliamentary leadership, and cross-sector collaboration in accelerating progress towards ending TB. As we look ahead to key events including the South Africa TB Caucus relaunch and the regional compensation meeting, the Global TB Caucus remains committed to supporting these efforts through advocacy, technical guidance, and multilateral dialogue.