In this paper we are particularly interested in how health impacts on or is impacted by
this nexus of regional political, economic, and security interests. There are few areas of study
that are more demonstrably and directly concerned with issues of life and death than health.
Given the severe burden that ill health (particularly the AIDS pandemic, malaria and tuberculosis)
place on the governments and people of SADC, we examine the two questions posited by the
ESRC-DfiD Poverty Reduction and Regional Integration research project:
1. Does SADC have a committed pro-poor focus in its health policy regarding access
to healthcare, as indicated by policy agendas, policy development processes and
resourcing?
2. What can national, regional and international actors do to promote pro-poor
practices and methods for access to healthcare and medicines in the SADC region?
