ZAMBIA
Overview
Zambia’s Isdell:Flowers Cross Border Malaria Initiative work is implemented by the Anglican Diocese of Lusaka.
This work contributes to Zambia’s National Malaria Elimination Strategic Plan, which was developed by the Ministry of Health’s National Malaria Elimination Program (NMEP).
In addition to conducting field work, Isdell:Flowers team members are part of Zambia’s End Malaria Council and several technical working groups, including the Social Behavior Change Communication, Vector Control, and Case Management Technical Working Groups of the National Malaria Elimination Program. The Isdell:Flowers Cross Border Malaria Initiative works in 28 Health Facility Catchment Areas (HFCAs) in nine districts within Western and Southern provinces of Zambia.
The Isdell:Flowers program areas in Zambia and the neighboring municipalities are outlined below. To download the map as a PDF, click here.
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MALARIA WORK IN ACTION
Community health workers increase use and acceptance of insecticide treated mosquito nets and indoor residual spraying
The Anglican Diocese of Lusaka supported the government’s indoor residual spraying (IRS) campaign by training community-based spray operators and equipping community health workers to encourage households to accept IRS. Community health workers also visit households to ensure that bed nets are properly hung and used.
Local leaders advocate for increased access to insecticide treated nets
Anglican Diocese of Lusaka staff used annual survey data to guide advocacy efforts. 2021-2022 survey results from Kalabo District program areas showed a decrease in access to insecticide treated nets (ITNs) and use of ITNs among pregnant women and children under five years. In response, local leaders held meetings with the District Health Office to advocate for better access to insecticide treated nets for pregnant women and children under five years.
Providing door to door malaria education and case management for malaria
Community health workers provide malaria education and testing and treatment services to households in their assigned villages. In 2022, they conducted more than 216,000 household education visits. Community health workers also identified and treated more than 16,000 malaria cases at the community level.
Preventing malaria in pregnancy
Community health workers collaborated with Safe Motherhood Action Group (SMAG) members and trained couples counselors to encourage more than 1,314 pregnant women, and many of their spouses, to seek antenatal care and to take the recommended doses of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy (IPTp), contributing to overall high IPTp uptake in Zambia program areas. Annual survey data showed that 87% of women who gave birth within the past 12 months took 3 or more doses of IPTp during their pregnancy.
DATA FOR DECISION MAKING
Collecting and using local data for programmatic decision making
In partnership with the J.C. Flowers Foundation, the Diocese of Lusaka carries out an annual survey to measure changes in levels of malaria knowledge, attitudes, and key malaria prevention practices among households located in villages that are part of the Isdell:Flowers program. This data is used by the Diocese of Lusaka and those affected by malaria to guide program planning and prioritization. Click the button below to view Zambia's 2023 KAP survey results.
The experience of Kalilombe Henry
Kalilombe Henry is the Chairman of the Malaria Task Force in Libuyu, Zambia. Data is used by malaria advocates like Henry to identify and overcome local barriers to malaria elimination.
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
Ndibi's Story
Ndibi Sangoma is a community malaria volunteer in Maondo, Zambia and is held in high regard by his neighbours. He has 11 children, scores of grandchildren, and a large homestead.
Ten years ago, fever, nausea, and muscle aches consigned Ndibi to his bed. Believing foul play by spirits, Ndibi’s elderly parents enlisted a local witchdoctor to lift the curse. But the fever became more severe and Ndibi and his family resigned themselves to the chance that he might die. Fortuitously, a friend of Ndibi’s was passing through the village at this time.
The friend told Ndibi that he thought he was suffering from malaria and insisted that Ndibi be taken to the hospital. Ndibi tested positive for malaria and was given anti-malarial medication. Within 3 days, Ndibi was well and returned home with a personal drive to share the lessons he learned about malaria.
Ndibi and 13 of his friends became community malaria volunteers through the Isdell:Flowers Cross Border Malaria Initiative. Their conviction was to tell their communities that malaria and its devastating effects must no longer be seen as an inevitability or a curse but as a preventable sickness and that with the right actions, malaria can be eliminated from their community and country.
Of the 14 who became volunteers 10 years ago, 12 of them remain as volunteers, 2 have passed away from old age, and 2 more have joined to fill the empty positions. The team goes out in all weather conditions, offering testing and malaria education to their communities. Ndibi has seen malaria cases drop in correlation with his and other volunteers’ efforts, and they hope to see malaria eliminated in Zambia within their lifetimes.
“We were trained to fight against malaria, and our fight may lead to the elimination of that disease. And then development will come because our people will be free from diseases.”
- Ndibi Sangoma
FLAME ZAMBIA
Faith Leader Advocacy for Malaria Elimination (FLAME)
Faith Leader Advocacy for Malaria Elimination (FLAME) in Zambia is a coalition of faith leaders inspired to eliminate malaria by advocating for the increased adoption and implementation of increasingly effective national and subnational malaria policies and the funding to support those policies. FLAME Zambia was established in 2019 after the appointment of the faith leaders (Late Bishop David Njovu and Sheikh Shaban Phiri) to serve on the National End Malaria Council.
The FLAME coalition in Zambia represents the 98% of Zambians who describe themselves as people of faith—whether Christian, Bahai, or Muslim. The FLAME coalition in Zambia is comprised of eight mother bodies, including the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ), Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB), New Apostolic Church in Zambia, Independent Churches of Zambia, Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia, Bahai Faith, Islamic Supreme Council of Zambia and the Seventh-Day Adventist Church. Currently, there are over 700 faith leaders in Zambia's FLAME coalition.
To get involved or learn more, visit the FLAME Zambia Facebook page, or contact the National Advocacy Coordinator at flame@endmalaria.org.zm
ZAMBIA
MALARIA WORK IN NUMBERS
216,114
household teaching visits conducted by community health workers
Year:
2022
16,127
the number of people who were diagnosed with malaria and treated by community health workers or local health facility staff in program areas
404
The number of community health workers actively fighting malaria in Zambia program areas
87%
The proportion of women who gave birth in the previous 12 months who reported taking the recommended number of doses of intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy (IPTp)
16
faith leaders from various denominations were trained in malaria, and have developed malaria action plans in Kazungula District
ZAMBIA TEAM
The Very Reverend Canon Charley Thomas
Vicar General and Dean of the Cathedral
Noel Kapata
Field Officer - Livingstone
Saviour Kasonde
Senior Program Officer - Kalabo
Kennedy Machobani
Information Officer
Brian Mambwe
Malaria Program Coordinator, FLAME
Amu Mudenda
National Advocacy Coordinator, FLAME
Kennedy Mundia
Deputy Program Coordinator
Sitakwa Mutenda
Project Officer - Sikongo
Monica Mvula
Program Coordinator – Mongu
Phelim Mwimana
Program Coordinator – Sesheke
Harris Nanzuwa
Field Officer - Shangombo
Sandford Nkhupi
Finance Manager
Lister Sakala
Field Officer - Kazungula
Communities affected by malaria are at the heart of this work. Malaria elimination is possible because of committed volunteers and activists, teachers, faith and traditional leaders, and mobilized communities.
