The Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ) with support from US President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has over the last few years donated over ZMW 18million in Tablets, computers, and ICT support.

CIDRZ Director for PROUD-Z and Strategic Information, Dr Thea Savory revealed this at the handover ceremony of the remaining assorted items amounting to eighty-five thousand, five hundred and six kwacha (ZMW85,506) and seven hundred and three dollars, forty-five cents (USD703.45) that shall be used in health facilities.

The donated ICT equipment included 99 tablets, 405 CPU’s, 517 Laptops, 464 Monitors and 97 printers that are already in facilities, ensuring health facilities are able to implement real time data entry in the electronic Health Records System SmartCare.

Dr Savory said CIDRZ is committed to the Zambian Health Care system as it continues to support the Lusaka Provincial Health office to ensure that healthcare services are delivered in a safe, fast and efficient way.

“As a DSD partner we have supported the Ministry of Health’s efforts to rollout SmartCare and this required deploying equipment, training staff and providing continued technical support for all aspects of the implementation,” said Dr Savory.

She commended the Lusaka Provincial Health Office on maintaining a high standard of data management and hoped that the donation will compliment efforts in the roll out and maintenance of SmartCare.

Dr Savory mentioned that CIDRZ is committed to work with MoH to achieve control of the HIV epidemic in Zambia and will continue to work in line with CIDRZ mission statement of improving access to quality healthcare in Zambia through innovative capacity development, exceptional implementation science and research, and impactful and sustainable public health programmes.

In receiving the donation, Lusaka Province Health Director, Dr Consity Mwale said the Ministry is grateful for receiving the high impact and generous donation that shall enhance their management of information systems in the selected facilities that shall benefit from this.

He said the Ministry’s relationship with CIDRZ is on a number of fronts besides providing technical assistance in general as CIDRZ has been their lead partner that help the Ministry to build capacity and ensure that data is managed in a manner that befits the smart Zambia objective.

“We would like to assure you that your donation shall be put to good use and we shall engage our staff to ensure that safety and security of this equipment is assured in order for us to continue providing access to quality health care services in all our primary health facilities and secondary level facilities. As government, we cannot achieve the general objective of universal health coverage alone unless we continue collaborating in an effective way with partners such as CIDRZ, ” said Dr Mwale

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