Historically, men have faced worse health outcomes than women due to poor health-seeking behaviours. CIDRZ is leading efforts to inspire positive change and reshape this narrative.

At this year’s 16th Annual National HIV/TB/STI/Viral Hepatitis Conference, CIDRZ’s Men’s Clinic and Health Promotions Advisor, Dr James Zulu, shared promising findings on how the establishment of Men’s Clinics has increased the uptake of HIV Services and continuously improved health outcomes among men in Zambia.

Through a pilot programme offering male-friendly services in six facilities in Lusaka, CIDRZ implemented innovative approaches such as dedicated men’s clinics and fast-tracked services as a form of Differentiated Service Delivery (DSD).

The findings revealed notable progress in men’s access to HIV services and their engagement in health initiatives. This highlights how targeted, gender-sensitive approaches can significantly improve health outcomes for men.

The Men’s clinics were initially supported by a grant from The U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Zambia, and later by the Global Fund catalytic initiative fund supported by the World Health Organization.

CIDRZ continues to lead efforts to ensure equitable access to healthcare for all.