The research and health service delivery operations are well-supported by distinct service departments, covering aspects such as Finance, Information technology, human resource, procurement, infrastructure and fleet management.
CIDRZ Finance
Reporting directly to UAB, the CIDRZ Finance department is responsible for managing all funds expended in Zambia for UAB/CIDZ grants awards. We are heavily involved in the pre-award and post-award management of all grants as budget writing and tracking remains the responsibility of the CIDRZ team. We currently manage 19 separate grant awards with a total award value to UAB of US$29 million in FY 2007.
The Finance team is tasked with ensuring that all amounts are spent in line with budget, are appropriate and are reasonable. We act as advisors to all Project Managers to help budget development and management. In addition, we interact regularly with internal audit and both the procurement department and HR department to ensure purchases and payroll payments are accurate and are in line with CIDRZ and USG policies.
Our other responsibilities include assisting with contracting negotiations, maintaining an accurate billing and stock system at our Central Lab, managing creditors and fixed assets and providing oversight of our provincial offices.
We have a strong team of 13 individuals with a good understanding of managing USG funds. Our accounts are maintained on the Accpac accounting software.
The Finance department is led by Annabelle Degroot, the Chief Financial Officer, and Betty Imakando, the Finance Manager.
CIDRZ Information and Communications Technology
The CIDRZ ICT department delivers ICT services that support the healthcare and research operations of the organization. Organized into specialized teams, the department helps projects determine their information technology needs.
We operate a wireless metropolitan area network covering the greater city of Lusaka. This network greatly enhances collaboration between the various health centers the Ministry of Health and CIDRZ operate in.
We are also involved in software development activities, including participation in the definition and implementation of the SmartCare project alongside our partners, the Ministry of Health, EGPAF and the CDC. The primary aim of the SmartCare system is to provide an electronic medical records system that can be used in developing nations such as Zambia.
Another core activity is the provision of computing environments and training to the more than five hundred members of staff, as well as the research and evaluation of new technologies and how best to apply them in resource-constrained environments.
Headed by Marcus Achiume, the ICT Director, and Gordon Mwanza, the Operations Manager, the department continues to improve service delivery to minimize costs and improve information sharing and collaboration.
CIDRZ Procurement
The CIDRZ Procurement department’s core function is to make purchases on behalf of the various projects and departments within the organization. Due to the nature of the organization, the purchase cycle involves several stakeholders, and as such it is important that proper guidelines are laid out and strictly adhered to for both audit purposes and to meet the tight deadlines and operational constraints of the health industry.
CIDRZ Facilities
Responsible for infrastructure, fleet and facility management, the Facilities department is a core functional unit of the organization. We oversee the construction or renovation of health and research facilities, including the Adult Infectious Disease Research building recently commissioned at the University Teaching Hospital.
Our fleet helps keep supplies and other resources flowing between the numerous sites and outlying areas of the country that the organization operates in.
CIDRZ Human Resource
The CIDRZ Human Resource performs all human capital management activities on behalf of the projects and service departments of the organization. Over the last few years, the organization has grown steadily, to the current employee count of over 500 members of staff. The diversity of the workforce is rich, including staff trained in research, public health administration, counselling and social welfare.
Our other responsibilities include development and management of the HR policy and codes of conduct, ensuring that staff development and performance appraisals exercises are conducted regularly to keep the workforce efficient and performing at its full potential.