SADC to convene 4th SPPS Steering Committee Meeting in Zambia

BY DIRAMAKINI

THE Southern African Development Community (SADC) will convene the Fourth Steering Committee Meeting of the SADC Pharmaceuticals Pooled Procurement Services (SPPS) from 29th to 30th October 2026 in Lusaka, Zambia.

SADC headquarters in Gaborone, Botswana. (Internet Photo).

According to a press release issued by the SADC Secretariat in Gaborone, Botswana on 22 October 2026, the meeting will review implementation progress aimed at enhancing preparations for the introduction of the initiative's first pilot contracts.

The meeting will bring together relevant stakeholders to assess progress against the SPPS implementation roadmap, identify outstanding actions and strengthen coordination and collaboration among Member States and technical partners.

Discussions will focus on addressing operational, regulatory and financing requirements necessary to facilitate the successful implementation of the pilot phase.

A key priority will be to review the status of Member States' expressions of commitment (WEC) and submissions of proposed pilot products, with a view to identifying outstanding requirements and agreeing on remedial measures, responsible parties and implementation deadlines.

Furthermore, a status report on the regional demand consolidation to build a case for regional manufacturing of Lenacapavir will be presented.

The Secretariat says these efforts are intended to ensure that outstanding actions are addressed in a timely manner to maintain progress towards the commencement of the first SPPS pilot contracts.

The SADC Pooled Procurement Services initiative forms part of regional efforts to strengthen cooperation among Member States in the procurement and regional manufacturing of medical products, with the broader objective of improving access to quality, safe and effective medical products through coordinated approaches to procurement.

The SPPS initiative brings together 16 SADC Member States: Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.