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| Mongu Malaria Day |
USAID's health program supports Zambia's National Health Strategic Plan to combat malaria and tuberculosis; improve maternal and child health; promote family planning and reproductive health; and, prevent HIV and provide care and treatment for those already infected with the virus. USAID supports capacity development to promote behavior change, increase demand for and access to quality health services, strengthen the health system, and procure key commodities. USAID works through partners that provide direct assistance to the public and private sectors throughout Zambia.
With a national prevalence of 15.6 percent among Zambians aged 15-49 (women 18 percent; men 13 percent), according to the 2001/2 Demographic & Health Survey (DHS), the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Zambia overwhelms the health system. USAID, under the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), supports comprehensive activities under the Ministry of Health and National AIDS Council national plans. In five provinces, USAID partners work directly with the Ministry of Health to expand quality services for: prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission, HIV counseling and testing, anti-retroviral therapy, and other treatment and care. USAID also supports private sector HIV counseling and testing through the New Start network of clinics. At the national level, USAID invests in the supply chain system for HIV/AIDS-related commodities. USAID procures anti-retroviral drugs, HIV test kits, and HIV-related lab equipment and supplies for the public sector.
Malaria is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Zambia, with nearly 4.3 million cases and 50,000 deaths per year. It is responsible for one quarter of childhood deaths and accounts for almost 50 percent of hospitalizations nationwide. USAID support to the National Malaria Control Program focuses on the most vulnerable: pregnant women and children under age five. USAID helps expand availability and use of proven preventive measures, including long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets (LLINs) and targeted indoor residual spraying. Activities also address the dangers of malaria in pregnancy by reaching pregnant women with preventive treatment, and strengthening diagnosis and treatment of malaria-especially for children. USAID procures LLINs, insecticides for indoor residual spraying, diagnostic equipment, and other commodities for the national malaria program.
The incidence of tuberculosis in Zambia is on the rise, with new infections fueled by a 70 percent HIV co-infection rate. USAID helps the Ministry of Health strengthen Zambia's capacity to deliver proven, cost-effective interventions. USAID's partners work in three provinces to expand and enhance Directly Observed Treatment Short-course (DOTS) and improve the co-management of tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.
Zambia's maternal mortality ratio (729 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births) is one of the highest in the world, and only 43 percent of deliveries are attended by a medically-trained provider. As for child health, although under-five mortality has been decreasing, it still remains at an unacceptably high level (168 deaths per 1000 live births), with malaria and HIV being the principal causes of death in this age group. USAID supports priority activities under Zambia's National Health Strategic Plan via technical assistance and training that strengthen antenatal, post-abortion, and emergency obstetric care; address childhood immunization and micronutrient needs; expand an integrated approach to managing childhood illnesses; and, make clean drinking water more available.
Investing in family planning and other reproductive health services is vital in mitigating the economic and environmental impact of population growth, and in improving maternal and child health-especially with Zambia's high HIV prevalence. Family planning and reproductive health services are not uniformly available around the country and are not always well-linked to HIV/AIDS interventions. Only 25 percent of married women currently use a modern method of family planning, with total fertility at 5.9. USAID helps achieve Zambian family planning and reproductive health goals by providing technical assistance and training to expand access to family planning services in the public sector, and through social marketing and support of communication for behavior change.
USAID's partners assist the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders
to:
Activities & Partners
Health Communication Partnership (HCP) - HCP uses community mobilization and communication tools to promote better health-seeking behavior. The program strengthens community organizations and leadership around key health issues in 22 districts. It also supports national health information, education and communication campaigns by developing job aids, radio programs, health talk lines and video- and poster-based media. Two HIV/AIDS-related videos produced by HCP, Tikambe and Road to Hope, have won international awards. HCP partners are the Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs, Save the Children, and International HIV/AIDS Alliance.
Contact - Chief of Party: Ms. Lynn Lederer (lynnl@hcp.org.zm); Deputy Chief of Party: Ms. Uttara Kumar (uttarabk@hcp.org.zm).
Address - P.O. Box 37230, Mosi-oa-Tunya Road, Woodlands House, Woodlands, Lusaka. Tel: +260-21-1-266020, +260-21-1-266021. www.hcpartnership.org
Better Health for Zambians through Social Marketing - Population Services International, through its Zambian affiliate, Society for Family Health, aims to increase demand for a variety of health products and services via social marketing campaigns and subsidized prices, making them accessible to all Zambians. Products and services include: Clorin home water purification solution, Mama SafeNite insecticide-treated bed nets, SafePlan oral contraceptives, and Maximum Classic male and Care female condoms, and the New Start HIV counseling and testing network.
Contact - Chief of Party: Ms. Cynde Robinson (cynder@sfh.org.zm); Deputy Chief of Party: Mr. Richard Harrison (richard@sfh.org.zm).
Address - P.O. Box 50770, 39 Central Street, Jesmondine, Lusaka. Tel: +260 (211) 292443, +260-21-1-292448. www.psi.org
Zambia Prevention, Care & Treatment Partnership - Managed by Family Health International, the Zambia Prevention, Care & Treatment Partnership (ZPCT) works in concert with the Ministry of Health to strengthen and expand comprehensive HIV/AIDS services in the Central, Copperbelt, Luapula, North-Western, and Northern Provinces. This partnership focuses on services provided at health facilities, supports referral linkages between communities and the health system, and assists the Ministry of Health and National AIDS Council to develop strategies, guidelines, and standard operating procedures. It covers prevention of mother-to-child transmission, HIV counseling and testing, anti-retroviral therapy and other treatment and care, TB/HIV, health worker and counselor training, and lab and pharmacy support. ZPCT partners are Management Sciences for Health, Churches Health Association of Zambia, Kara Counseling & Training Trust, and Expanded Church Response.
Contact - Chief of Party: Ms. Cathy Thompson (cthompson@zpct.org); Deputy Chief of Party: Dr. Asha Basnyat (abasnyat@zpct.org).
Address - P.O. Box 320303, 2055 Nasser Road, Lusaka. Tel: +260 (211) 257331; +260 (211) 257337. www.fhi.org
Health Services & Systems Program - The Health Services & Systems Program (HSSP), led by Abt Associates, works in partnership with the Ministry of Health at all levels to support increased access to quality health services and to strengthen health systems. HSSP assists the Ministry of Health to strengthen ante-natal, post-abortion, and emergency obstetric care; address childhood immunization and micronutrient needs; integrate management of childhood illnesses; and, expand long-term family planning methods. HSSP also provides significant assistance to the National Malaria Control Center in rolling out the national indoor residual spraying program and in strengthening case management of malaria in children and presumptive treatment for pregnant women. HSSP also supports the underlying systems that are required to make a public health service function. This includes the health management information system and health sector planning. Lastly, HSSP provides support for human resources: pre-service training, human resource planning and management, and the rural retention scheme. HSSP partners include Abt Associates, JHPIEGO, International Science & Technology Institute and Save the Children.
Contact - Chief of Party: Dr. Cosmas Musumali (cosmasm@hssp.org.zm); Deputy Chief of Party: Dr. Elijah Sinyinza (elijahs@hssp.org.zm).
Address - P.O. Box 39090, 8327 Nangwenya Road, Rhodes Park, Lusaka. Tel: +260 (211) 254553, +260 (211) 254555. www.abtassociates.com
Indoor Residual Spraying IQC - Research Triangle International (RTI) procures insecticides and commodities for the Ministry of Health/National Malaria Control Center's national indoor residual spraying (IRS) program. It also assists the National Malaria Control Program in developing systems and monitoring for environmental compliance related to IRS. www.rti.org
USAID | DELIVER & Partnership for Supply Chain Management System - USAID | DELIVER provides the Ministry of Health with technical assistance in national supply-chain management for HIV-related commodities. The project will also procure malaria commodities, such as long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets, rapid diagnostic tests, and artemisinin-based combination therapy. The Partnership for Supply Chain Management Systems procures all U.S. Government-funded anti-retroviral drugs, HIV test kits, and HIV-related lab supplies for the public sector.
Contact - Country Director: Mr. Walter Proper (wproper@jsi.com).
Address - P.O. Box 320087; 6 Mwatusanga Road, Woodlands, Lusaka. Tel: +260 (211) 261481, +260 (211) 266847. www.jsi.com.
Central Contraceptive Procurement (CCP) - CCP is the mechanism through which USAID procures oral contraceptives and male and female condoms for social marketing.
Tuberculosis Control Assistance Program (TBCAP) - Implemented by the Royal Netherlands Tuberculosis Foundation (KNCV), TBCAP supports the delivery of tuberculosis services by the Ministry of Health in the Copperbelt, Luapula, and North-Western Provinces. TBCAP also works closely with ZPCT on integrating TB and HIV/AIDS services throughout Zambia.
Contact - Project Director: Dr. Seraphine Kabanje (skabanje@zpct.org).
Address - P.O. Box 320303, 2055 Nasser Road, Lusaka. www.tuberculose.nl.
Youth & Children with Health Options Involving Community Engagement Strategies (Y-CHOICES) - Implemented by PACT/Zambia, Y-Choices is a USAID/Washington multi-country PEPFAR award that builds capacity of and administers small grants to local community- and faith-based organizations to promote abstinence and behavior change among youth aged 10-24 in Luapula, North-Western, Central, Western, and Southern Provinces.
Contact - Country Director: Matondo Monde Yeta (matondoy@pactzambia.org).
Address - P.O. Box 50738, 3039 Makishi Road, Fairview, Lusaka. Tel: +260 (211) 230458.www.pactworld.org.
Empowering Africa's Young People Initiative (EAPYI) - Funded by a USAID/Washington multi-country PEPFAR award, EAPYI promotes abstinence and behavior-change programs for youth aged 10-24 through local community- and faith-based organizations. Implemented by International Youth Foundation in seven provinces, EAPYI also focuses on capacity-building of these organizations.
Contact - Project Director: Sarah Haslegrave (s.haslegrave@iyfnet.org).
Address - 120 Kudu Road, Kabulonga, Lusaka. Tel: +260 (211) 268206. www.iyfnet.org.
Medical Injection Safety Project (MISP) - MISP supports the Ministry of Health in injection safety and infection prevention.
Contact - Chief of Party: Dr. Christopher Mazimba (cmazimba.misp@jhpiego.net).
Address - P.O. Box 36873, 8 Ngumbo Road, Longacres, Lusaka. Tel: +260 (211) 256255. www.chemonics.com.
Chikankata Child Survival Project - This project, supported by a USAID/Washington Child Survival & Health Grants Program, is being implemented by the Salvation Army World Service Organization to improve child health and nutrition in the Mazabuka and Siavonga districts in Southern Province.
Contact - Manager of Administration: Richard Bradbury (rbradbury@yahoo.com); Child Survival Project Supervisor: John Mumba (sostenmumba@yahoo.com).
Address - Chikankata Health Services, Private Bag S2, Mazabuka. Tel: +260 (211) 222060. www.sawso.org.
MEASURE-Demographic & Health Survey - Through Macro International Inc., USAID provides funding to conduct the Demographic & Health Survey every five years; the 2007 survey is currently underway. www.orcmacro.com.
Sector Program Assistance - The Sector Program Assistance agreement is an ongoing, non-project assistance grant to Zambia's Ministry of Finance & National Planning. U.S. Government funds are leveraged to help fund the Ministry of Health for health-care operations, including preventive and curative health services in all 72 districts. Sector Program Assistance also supports local organization capacity development. Funds are used to support interventions in tuberculosis, malaria prevention and control, maternal and child health, family planning and reproductive health.
Participant Training Support - The human resource crisis in Zambia's health sector is undermining its capacity to provide basic health services. Training is a priority in the Ministry of Health's strategy, but a shortage of nursing tutors constrains efforts to increase the output of nurses, a critical cadre. In 2005, the Ministry of Health asked USAID to support the University of Zambia's bachelor of science program in nursing to increase the pool of nurse tutors serving the country's nursing schools, in addition to the nine master of public health students already being supported. In response, USAID has been funding one class at a time for a three-year program, which includes all aspects of maternal and child health and family planning and reproductive health. Upon graduation, nursing tutors work at various nurse training institutions throughout the country for a minimum of 36 months. These scholarships enable schools to increase enrollment and the cadre of trained nurses, thereby developing local organizational capacity, helping to mitigate the current human resource crisis, and supporting quality health services.
For further information about the USAID/Zambia Population Health and Nutrition program, please contact Ms. Barbara W. Hughes (+260-211-254-303/304/305/306 Ext. 144, bhughes@usaid.gov) or Ms. Caroll Vasquez (+260-211-254-303/304/305/306 Ext. 112, cvasquez@usaid.gov).
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