Zambia Health System

Government-run health facilities, which provide the majority of the health care in Zambia, offer a basic health care package free-of-charge or on a cost-sharing basis. Services included in the basic health care package are provided free-of-charge or on a cost-sharing basis, depending on the location and level of the system. In rural districts, these services are free.

Levels of care:

Public:

  • Community
  • Health posts (district level)
    • District Health Offices (DHOs) are responsible for provision of services
    • Staffed by community health assistants (CHA)

■ Trained for one year and on GRZ payroll to improved management of malaria, child and maternal health, and common preventable health conditions

■ Spend 80% of their time on disease prevention and health promotion; 20% at the health post

    • Intended to cover 500– 1,000 households
    • Supervise the community health workers (CHWs) and other community health volunteers
  • Health centers (district level)
    • DHOs are responsible for provision of services
    • Oversee health posts within their catchment areas
    • Staffed by a clinical officer, nurse, or environmental health technician
    • Serve approximately 10,000 residents
  • Level 1 hospitals (district level)
    • DHOs are responsible for provision of services
  • Level 2 hospitals (provincial level)
    • Referral or specialized hospitals
  • Level 3 hospitals (central level)
    • Referral or specialized hospitals

Faith-based

Church-affiliated facilities are common and are well integrated into the government system in terms of service delivery practices and reporting.

Churches Health Association of Zambia (CHAZ) is an inter-denominational umbrella organization for coordinating church health services in Zambia.

  • Has over 110 health facilities including hospitals, health centers, health posts, and community-based organizations.
  •  Has 11 health training schools, most of which are staffed by Government of Zambia health workers.
  • Responsible for over 50% of formal health services in the rural areas of Zambia and about 30% of health care in the country

Private sector

Zambia has over 250 for-profit private health facilities:

  • Mostly clinics attending to outpatients mainly in the urban districts.
  • The private sector accounts for just 14 percent of all health facilities nationally

Procurement

  • Procurement of injectable artesunate (Inj AS) has been taken up by the Government of Zambia (GRZ), and demonstrates an ongoing commitment to procure Inj AS. The country currently has sufficient amounts of inj AS.
  • Rectal artesunate is included in the current guidelines and procurement via PMI started in 2020.

Training

  • Training of health workers in the use of Inj AS has continued with all level 1 and 2 hospitals in all districts now trained.