Where We Work > Africa > Zambia

Zambia

Nearly one in six Zambian adults are living with HIV, and every year, more Zambian health workers emigrate to other countries in search of higher salaries and better working conditions. This combination of emigration and growing health care needs means that the Zambian health system is grossly understaffed. Currently, there are seven nurses and one doctor for every 10,000 Zambians, far below the World Health Organization’s minimum of 23 doctors and nurses per 10,000 people.

Since 2007, IntraHealth International has worked to build a stronger health workforce in Zambia in partnership with the government and other nongovernmental organizations. In its initial work through the Capacity Project, IntraHealth assessed the Zambian health system’s staffing needs in collaboration with the Office of the United States Global AIDS Coordinator and the United Kingdom Department for International Development. Following this assessment, IntraHealth began leading a project that aims to involve local communities in basic HIV education and prevention efforts and to train lay people to offer HIV counseling, testing, and referral for treatment and care. 

Improving Access and Uptake of Routine Confidential Counseling and Testing Project

Through this project, IntraHealth has trained and worked with lay counselors to test over 91,000 Zambians for HIV, approximately 8% of whom tested positive and were referred for treatment. These lay counselors are local community members whom IntraHealth trained in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and other partners to:

  • Offer confidential HIV counseling and testing services in five rural districts (Namwala, Luangwa, Siavonga, Gwembe, and Kalomo)
  • Refer people who test positive to treatment services
  • Organize and lead support groups for people affected by HIV
  • Promote dialogue about HIV within communities and discourage stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV.

This work is supported by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

IntraHealth also collaborates with the Network for Zambian People Living with HIV on the Prevention with Positives Program to train lay counselors to talk to people living with HIV about the importance of medication adherence, the risks of transmitting or becoming re-infected with HIV or other sexually transmitted infections through unprotected sex, and the proper use of condoms. The counselors work with couples living with HIV to help them make informed decisions about whether or not to have children and minimize their likelihood of transmitting the virus. The counselors also discuss the dangers of alcohol abuse with clients. Since 2009, this project has worked in the Namwala District and is expanding into the Luangwa District as well as three other districts.

Other Current Project

  • Partnership for Integrated Social Marketing (funded by USAID, partner to Population Services International)

Past Projects

Contact

Namoonga Winnie Hamoonga
Program Manager
Improving Access and Uptake of Routine Confidential Counseling and Testing Project
nhamoonga@intrahealth.org
260-97-7-887221

More information is available in the country brief.