Zambia Offers COVID-19 Vaccines in PEPFAR-Supported Clinics

Zambia Offers COVID-19 Vaccines in PEPFAR-Supported Clinics (3-minute video)

Title: Zambia Offers COVID-19 Vaccines in PEPFAR-Supported Clinics

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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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Sylvia Masebo, Minister of Health, Zambia: Zambia has a population of 18 million people. We started working with CDC in the area of COVID, specifically help for HIV-infected populations, and this was around April of 2021. And at that time, most African countries, including Zambia, had issues with vaccines, and so CDC was instrumental in supporting us to cover those that were infected.

Dr. Consity Mwale, Lusaka Provincial Health Director: So we were very privileged as the Lusaka Provincial Health Office because of the support that we get from CDC, the PEPFAR support. Through that, our facilities that supported were able to come up with ways and means to ensure that they provide COVID-19 vaccination access not only to people living with HIV and AIDS who come for treatment, but everybody else that was coming to our facilities for treatment. So, that was new.

Gibstar Makangila, Director, Circle of Hope: As of June 2022, we vaccinated over 420,000 of our beloved clients, and that happened across a thousand sites that are supported by PEPFAR in Zambia. And what’s great to mention here is that we did a two-week campaign in which we actually vaccinated over 8,000 persons in faith-supported PEPFAR sites within a very short time.

Sylvia Masebo, Minister of Health, Zambia: Zambia has never had a routine vaccination for adults until the COVID program. And again, working with CDC, you know that we’re able to prioritize this vaccination.

Dr. Consity Mwale, Lusaka Provincial Health Director: In addition, we decongested our facilities further by coming up with a strategy whereby our clients were given drugs enough to last them six months, which means a client who’s stable and on HIV and AIDS treatment would only be required to come to the clinic once in six months. So, this was a game changer in the sense that it helped us to decongest our treatment facilities.

Gibstar Makangila, Director, Circle of Hope: And since COVID-19 came, we have a three-pronged approach where we leverage our relationships that are very strong on the ground, working with the faith leaders, the community leaders and the government, Ministry of Health.

Sylvia Masebo, Minister of Health, Zambia: And so to that effect, I would like to say thank you to the people of the US and this government and the CDC, that is the implementing wing. And also to say that Zambia looks forward to this continued cooperation in achieving much more in our fight to ensure that we have a healthy nation.

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