The Impact of Communicable Diseases on the Economic Growth of the SADC Region

The prevalence of communicable diseases (also known as transmissible or infectious diseases) has been a significant health issue for sustainable development, hindering economic progress globally. Communicable diseases may affect economic development both directly (via the immediate effects of ill health on productive activities) and indirectly (through the effects of disease on intellectual capacity, mortality, morbidity, and fertility). This study examined the impact of communicable diseases on the economic growth of the SADC region between 2011 and 2024. The study utilised the two-step System-Generalised Method of Moments (GMM) to analyse the data. HIV prevalence and TB incidence served as proxies for communicable diseases, and GDP per capita served as a proxy for economic growth. The study took a comprehensive analytical approach by including variables such as current health expenditure and government expenditure on education as control variables. The findings reveal a significant positive correlation between HIV prevalence, TB incidence and economic growth of the SADC nations, and this is attributed to the fact that the economic growth of most SADC countries does not immediately translate to better healthcare access, as the poor often remain highly vulnerable. Current health expenditure and government expenditure on education negatively affected GDP per capita. This study therefore recommends harmonising the cross-border strategies, strengthening regional surveillance and integrating health into economic planning to ensure a productive workforce within the SADC region.