Building Strategic Partnerships to Strengthen Health Service Delivery in Zambia
July 15th, 2024 | story
A group of young women and girls gather together for a peer counseling session at Mwanjuni Health Post. Photo credit: Jason Mulikita for JSI
Linda Milambo, a 36-year-old nurse, walks through the waiting area of the bustling Mwanjuni Health Post in Chibombo, Zambia checking on the patients waiting to be seen. She has been overseeing the day-to-day operation of the site for five years and, for the last four, has done so with Inyambo Siluka by her side. Inyambo is a hub manager for the USAID DISCOVER-Health project, whose staff pair with those from the Ministry of Health (MOH) in a “buddy” system to cultivate communication, collaboration, and trust as they work together. Linda and Inyambo’s goal is to improve access to integrated and person-centered health services, including HIV treatment and prevention, by strengthening the overall health system and service delivery.
Linda shares how the health post serves about 150 clients a day, providing efficient assessment and treatment for each person. The ease clients and providers now enjoy was not always a guarantee, however. Linda, Inyambo and their team have worked hard to make the clinic a private and comfortable place for clients to access health services.
“Here at Mwanjuni, when it was just the original older building, there was nowhere really for clients to sit comfortably,” Inyambo explains. “There was no shade outside. It wasn’t conducive to efficient service delivery. But now, with the addition of the prefabricated structures, this clinic is fantastic for both clients and providers. The flow of clients works well, and there is more space for everyone; clients can be seen promptly and privately. We also have a laboratory on site to ensure a quick turnaround for test results.”
