(L - R) Row 1: Moono Kawayo, Marjorie Kasonde, Dickson Chabala, Boyd Kaonga
(L-R) Row 2:  Amanda Moonga, Nchimunya Muyombwe, Naomi Banda, Carol Mutale, Emmanuel Tititma, Morgan Chabal
(L-R) Row 3: Philip Daka, Namakau Muyunda, Dr. Dominic Mack, Dr. Wilson Mbewe, Isaac Pomboloka, Chilombo Chilombo, Joseph Daka

Global Health Programs

MSM and NCPC have several programs and initiatives that address complex global health equity challenges. MSM/NCPC is a member of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Global Health Consortium (HBCU GHC) which is comprised of Charles R. Drew University, Howard University, and Meharry Medical College. We partner with the three other HBCU GHC members to leverage health service equity approaches for controlling HIV/AIDS epidemics in Zambia (since 2018) and Malawi (since 2021).

Innovations in HIV Care in Zambia

Since 2018 to, NCPC has worked with the other HBCU GHC members (Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Howard University College of Medicine, and Meharry Medical College) to reduce stigma and discrimination in HIV care. The HBCU GHC has also provided targeted mentorship and training to Ministry of Health healthcare workers and community health workers to address the social determinants of health within health settings, clinic workflow optimization, and data management,  within the context of each location that affect health outcomes within the HIV care continuum.

NCPC is currently implementing an innovative hub-and-spoke telemedicine program to improve the quality of health services and health outcomes for individuals on HIV treatment in Lusaka, Zambia. The telemedicine program in Zambia is a synchronous direct-to-consumer model that happens in a live, real-time setting where the recipient of care/ client interacts with a provider via video. The telemedicine program has served more than 5,000 people since its launch in June 2021 and boasts a greater than 96% appointment adherence rate.

The telemedicine program facilitates care coordination across multiple sites and specialists, which is an ongoing challenge in low-resource settings. Ultimately, the telemedicine program has demonstrated that it has potential to improve retention in care for persons who are recently diagnosed with HIV or who are at high risk for, or have a history of, suboptimal HIV care outcomes (e.g., never in care, lost to care, inconsistently in care, or exhibiting treatment adherence problems). This care coordination includes advancing gold-standard telemedicine to improve access to primary care. NCPC guides the enhancement and expansion of telemedicine services to provide sustainable, accessible, and high-quality person-centered health services. The initiative also integrates behavioral health services for people living with HIV who lack routine access to care in Zambia. The objectives of the initiative include:

  • Maintain telemedicine services at four general hospitals, the University Teaching Hospital (tertiary-level facility) and in select high-impact community-based health facilities to support advancing equity in access to high-quality care
  • Engage key stakeholders to support integration of telemedicine-based HIV prevention and treatment services into country-led HIV/AIDS program
  • Collaborate with high volume health facilities to improve HIV care and treatment, sexual and reproductive health, and mental health services for adolescent girls and young women using telemedicine
  • Sustain existing efforts to support the care of mothers and their infants who have been exposed to HIV
  • Engage the Ministry of Health, Smart Zambia Institute, and other key local stakeholders for telemedicine program sustainability planning

NCPC’s Contributions to Ending the AIDS Epidemic

Global Health Consortium Community Health Worker Graduation in 2023Image from Global Health Consortium Community Health Worker Graduation in 2023

The HBCU GHC’s overall goal is to support Zambia and Malawi in implementing the 95-95-95 strategy to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. This strategy was developed by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and aims to have 95% of people living with HIV (PLWH) know their HIV status; 95% of PLWH are initiated on Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART); and that 95% of those on ART are virally suppressed. NCPC has supported each of these targets through their work in Zambia and will carry this work forward to Malawi. Some of our accomplishments include:

  • Delivered telehealth services to nearly 1600 people living with HIV using the telemedicine platform
  • Provided mentorship and technical assistance in ART clinics that promoted efficiency in service delivery, improved patient flow, and reduced congestion
  • Strategic coordination and integration of primary care services to address unmet mental health needs
  • Increased efficiency for optimal HIV patient care and outcomes
  • Addressed and reduced the lost to follow-up in newly initiated and/or un-stabilized clients through utilization of digital technology and optimization of referral systems capacity by mentoring training for community health workers and providing telehealth training for healthcare providers and data analysts