The Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ) hosted visitors from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to showcase its work with hard-to-reach populations in Zambian communities. The meeting exchanged best practices on how to strengthen comprehensive HIV services through social networks in eastern and southern Africa regions.

CIDRZ supports community-based initiatives that provide HIV testing, prevention, and treatment services through differentiated service delivery models that respond to the unique needs of vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations within communities.

Community-based HIV prevention and treatment programmes targeting hard-to-reach populations are critical towards meeting UNAIDS 95-95-95 target to end AIDS by 2030.

And commenting on the visit and field meetings, Ramya Kumar, a National Institute of Health (NIH) Fogarty Global Health Fellow attached to CIDRZ, described the experience as an incredible opportunity that impacted her learning experience on initiatives around differentiated service delivery models.

“as an NIH Fogarty fellow with CIDRZ, I was thrilled to be among those involved in hosting the UN team! What an incredible learning opportunity it was”, she said.

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