Zambia

The Joint Programme support in Zambia focused on improving evidence for the HIV response while scaling up access to HIV services and education among adolescent, young people and key populations. The Government finalized the 2022 Zambia Consolidated Guidelines for Treatment and Prevention of HIV Infection, recommending the utilization of long-acting injectable Cabotegravir for HIV prevention; Tenofovir alafenamide to treat hepatitis B; resistance testing for people living with HIV who could not achieve viral suppression and use of baseline viral load testing. The National Health Care Package (NHCP) further integrated HIV with other essential universal health coverage services (WHO). Additionally, the newly developed paediatric HIV data dashboard is operational and used in five provinces improving real time monitoring and scaling up coverage and quality of paediatric HIV services (UNICEF).    

Over 93 million male condoms were distributed through an innovative community condom distribution initiative, which relied on hotspots mapping and use of digital technology to further reach young people (UNFPA). In addition, 150 champions improved their understanding of management of HIV in the workplace, which led to HIV awareness creation, counselling and testing initiatives in formal and informal workplaces and the distribution of 12 500 HIV self-test kits (ILO). The newly established drone network for improved access to HIV prevention and testing commodities, shortened the turnaround time for test results and reduced delivery costs. With the Joint Programme’s support, Zambia launched the injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP CAB-LA) and more than 1600 people, including young people from key population accessed this service.