Izukanji Sikazwe
Biographic Data
| ID | 7018760 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Izukanji Sikazwe |
| GIVEN NAMES | Izukanji |
| FAMILY NAME | Sikazwe |
| SIGNATURE | SIKAZWE I |
| AFFILIATIONS | Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-3898-2607 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 14 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 0 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 14 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2019 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 0 |
Africa’s ownership of a sustainable health journey towards an Aids-free future
Africa is on the brink of an evolutionary leap, transitioning from dependency on external aid to establishing itself as an autonomous and sustainable hub for innovation. Despite significant progress in the HIV response, 1 over-reliance on imported models of service delivery and limited African investments threatens this journey. A shift towards self-reliance is both needed and feasible, as Africa possesses the minds and resources required.2 In vi…
Implementing Sars-CoV-2 routine surveillance in antenatal care in Zambia, 2021–2022
Incorporating SARS-CoV-2 surveillance into routine antenatal care is feasible and potentially sustainable when existing health system infrastructure, human resources, and surveillance systems are leveraged. Yet, careful planning is needed to anticipate implementation challenges and ensure high-quality data collection
Covid-19 vaccine uptake and associated risk factors among first antenatal care attendees in Zambia, 2021–2022
Pregnant women are considered a high-risk group for COVID-19, and a priority for vaccination. Routine antenatal care (ANC) provides an opportunity to track trends and factors associated with vaccine uptake. We sought to evaluate COVID-19 vaccine uptake among pregnant women attending ANC and assess the factors associated with vaccine in Zambia. We conducted a repeated cross-sectional study in 39 public health facilities in four districts in Zambia…
An exploration of multi-level factors affecting routine linkage to HIV care in Zambia’s Pepfar-supported treatment program in the treat all era
Multiple steps from HIV diagnosis to treatment initiation and confirmed engagement with the health system are required for people living with HIV to establish full linkage to care in the modern treat all era. We undertook a qualitative study to gain an in-depth understanding of the impeding and enabling factors at each step of this linkage pathway. In-depth interviews were conducted with fifty-eight people living with HIV recruited from ten routi…
Trends in Sars-CoV-2 seroprevalence among pregnant women attending first antenatal care visits in Zambia
SARS-CoV-2 serosurveys help estimate the extent of transmission and guide the allocation of COVID-19 vaccines. We measured SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among women attending ANC clinics to assess exposure trends over time in Zambia. We conducted repeated cross-sectional SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence surveys among pregnant women aged 15–49 years attending their first ANC visits in four districts of Zambia (two urban and two rural) during September 2021-S…
HIV programme sustainability in Southern and Eastern Africa and the changing role of external assistance for health
High human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–prevalence countries in Southern and Eastern Africa continue to receive substantial external assistance (EA) for HIV programming, yet countries are at risk of transitioning out of HIV aid without achieving epidemic control. We sought to address two questions: (1) to what extent has HIV EA in the region been programmed and delivered in a way that supports long-term sustainability and (2) how should developme…
Intersection of alcohol use, HIV infection, and the HIV care continuum in Zambia
Through a nationally-representative household survey, we measured the prevalence and correlates of unhealthy alcohol use (UAU) in Zambia and its association with the HIV care continuum. Adolescent and adult (ages 15–59 years) data, including the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C), from the 2016 Zambia Population-based HIV Impact Assessment, were analyzed. UAU was defined as AUDIT-C of 3 + points for women and 4 + for …
Experiences and Perceptions of Telephone-delivery of the Common Elements Treatment Approach for Mental Health Needs Among Young People in Zambia During the Covid-19 Pandemic
Background: Mental and behavioral health needs are immense in low-to-middle income countries (LMIC), particularly for adolescents and young adults (AYA). However, access to mental health services is limited in LMIC due to barriers such as distance to a health care site, low number of providers, and other structural and logistical challenges. During the COVID-19 pandemic, these barriers were significantly exacerbated and, thus, mental health servi…
Mitigating the effects of Covid-19 on HIV treatment and care in Lusaka, Zambia
INTRODUCTION: The Zambian Ministry of Health (MoH) issued COVID-19 mitigation guidance for HIV care immediately after the first COVID-19 case was confirmed in Zambia on 18 March 2020. The Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia implemented MoH guidance by: 1) extending antiretroviral therapy (ART) refill duration to 6 multi-month dispensation (6MMD) and 2) task-shifting communication and mobilisation of those in HIV care to collect their…
Evaluation of kidney function among people living with HIV initiating antiretroviral therapy in Zambia
As the response to the HIV epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa continues to mature, a growing number of people living with HIV (PLHIV) are aging and risk for non-communicable diseases increases. Routine laboratory tests of serum creatinine have been conducted to assess HIV treatment (ART) suitability. Here we utilize those measures to assess kidney function impairment among those initiating ART. Identification of non-communicable disease (NCD) risks a…
A controlled study to assess the effects of a Fast Track (FT) service delivery model among stable HIV patients in Lusaka Zambia
Fast Track models—in which patients coming to facility to pick up medications minimize waiting times through foregoing clinical review and collecting pre-packaged medications—present a potential strategy to reduce the burden of treatment. We examine effects of a Fast Track model (FT) in a real-world clinical HIV treatment program on retention to care comparing two clinics initiating FT care to five similar (in size and health care level), standar…
HIV care experiences and health priorities during the first wave of Covid-19
Clients' HIV care and health priorities during the first wave of COVID-19 in Lusaka province were varied with a combination of positive and negative experiences that occurred especially at health system and individual levels, while at household level, the experiences were all negative. More research is needed to understand how patients practice resiliency in the widespread context of socio-economic instability. Governments and patients must work …
Intimate partner violence polyvictimisation and HIV among coupled women in Zambia
Women in sub-Saharan Africa are disproportionately at risk for the dual epidemics of intimate partner violence (IPV) and HIV. Little is known about how specific violence profiles affect women's HIV risk, limiting effective intervention. We analysed couples' data from the Zambia Demographic and Health Survey 2013-2014 to evaluate relationships among IPV, male partner HIV status and women's HIV status. We considered the individual and combined effe…
Patients’ Satisfaction with HIV Care Providers in Public Health Facilities in Lusaka
Prognosis among those who are HIV infected has improved but long-term retention is challenging. Health systems may benefit from routinely measuring patient satisfaction which is a potential driver of engagement in HIV care, but it is not often measured in Africa, and Zambia in particular. This study aims to internally validate a patient satisfaction tool, assess satisfaction among patients previously lost-to-follow up (LTFU) from HIV care in Lusa…
No prominent works on this page.
Patients’ Satisfaction with HIV Care Providers in Public Health Facilities in Lusaka
Prognosis among those who are HIV infected has improved but long-term retention is challenging. Health systems may benefit from routinely measuring patient satisfaction which is a potential driver of engagement in HIV care, but it is not often measured in Africa, and Zambia in particular. This study aims to internally validate a patient satisfaction tool, assess satisfaction among patients previously lost-to-follow up (LTFU) from HIV care in Lusa…
Intimate partner violence polyvictimisation and HIV among coupled women in Zambia
Women in sub-Saharan Africa are disproportionately at risk for the dual epidemics of intimate partner violence (IPV) and HIV. Little is known about how specific violence profiles affect women's HIV risk, limiting effective intervention. We analysed couples' data from the Zambia Demographic and Health Survey 2013-2014 to evaluate relationships among IPV, male partner HIV status and women's HIV status. We considered the individual and combined effe…
Experiences and Perceptions of Telephone-delivery of the Common Elements Treatment Approach for Mental Health Needs Among Young People in Zambia During the Covid-19 Pandemic
Background: Mental and behavioral health needs are immense in low-to-middle income countries (LMIC), particularly for adolescents and young adults (AYA). However, access to mental health services is limited in LMIC due to barriers such as distance to a health care site, low number of providers, and other structural and logistical challenges. During the COVID-19 pandemic, these barriers were significantly exacerbated and, thus, mental health servi…
Mitigating the effects of Covid-19 on HIV treatment and care in Lusaka, Zambia
INTRODUCTION: The Zambian Ministry of Health (MoH) issued COVID-19 mitigation guidance for HIV care immediately after the first COVID-19 case was confirmed in Zambia on 18 March 2020. The Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia implemented MoH guidance by: 1) extending antiretroviral therapy (ART) refill duration to 6 multi-month dispensation (6MMD) and 2) task-shifting communication and mobilisation of those in HIV care to collect their…
Evaluation of kidney function among people living with HIV initiating antiretroviral therapy in Zambia
As the response to the HIV epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa continues to mature, a growing number of people living with HIV (PLHIV) are aging and risk for non-communicable diseases increases. Routine laboratory tests of serum creatinine have been conducted to assess HIV treatment (ART) suitability. Here we utilize those measures to assess kidney function impairment among those initiating ART. Identification of non-communicable disease (NCD) risks a…
A controlled study to assess the effects of a Fast Track (FT) service delivery model among stable HIV patients in Lusaka Zambia
Fast Track models—in which patients coming to facility to pick up medications minimize waiting times through foregoing clinical review and collecting pre-packaged medications—present a potential strategy to reduce the burden of treatment. We examine effects of a Fast Track model (FT) in a real-world clinical HIV treatment program on retention to care comparing two clinics initiating FT care to five similar (in size and health care level), standar…
HIV care experiences and health priorities during the first wave of Covid-19
Clients' HIV care and health priorities during the first wave of COVID-19 in Lusaka province were varied with a combination of positive and negative experiences that occurred especially at health system and individual levels, while at household level, the experiences were all negative. More research is needed to understand how patients practice resiliency in the widespread context of socio-economic instability. Governments and patients must work …
Intersection of alcohol use, HIV infection, and the HIV care continuum in Zambia
Through a nationally-representative household survey, we measured the prevalence and correlates of unhealthy alcohol use (UAU) in Zambia and its association with the HIV care continuum. Adolescent and adult (ages 15–59 years) data, including the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C), from the 2016 Zambia Population-based HIV Impact Assessment, were analyzed. UAU was defined as AUDIT-C of 3 + points for women and 4 + for …
Covid-19 vaccine uptake and associated risk factors among first antenatal care attendees in Zambia, 2021–2022
Pregnant women are considered a high-risk group for COVID-19, and a priority for vaccination. Routine antenatal care (ANC) provides an opportunity to track trends and factors associated with vaccine uptake. We sought to evaluate COVID-19 vaccine uptake among pregnant women attending ANC and assess the factors associated with vaccine in Zambia. We conducted a repeated cross-sectional study in 39 public health facilities in four districts in Zambia…
An exploration of multi-level factors affecting routine linkage to HIV care in Zambia’s Pepfar-supported treatment program in the treat all era
Multiple steps from HIV diagnosis to treatment initiation and confirmed engagement with the health system are required for people living with HIV to establish full linkage to care in the modern treat all era. We undertook a qualitative study to gain an in-depth understanding of the impeding and enabling factors at each step of this linkage pathway. In-depth interviews were conducted with fifty-eight people living with HIV recruited from ten routi…
Trends in Sars-CoV-2 seroprevalence among pregnant women attending first antenatal care visits in Zambia
SARS-CoV-2 serosurveys help estimate the extent of transmission and guide the allocation of COVID-19 vaccines. We measured SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among women attending ANC clinics to assess exposure trends over time in Zambia. We conducted repeated cross-sectional SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence surveys among pregnant women aged 15–49 years attending their first ANC visits in four districts of Zambia (two urban and two rural) during September 2021-S…
HIV programme sustainability in Southern and Eastern Africa and the changing role of external assistance for health
High human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–prevalence countries in Southern and Eastern Africa continue to receive substantial external assistance (EA) for HIV programming, yet countries are at risk of transitioning out of HIV aid without achieving epidemic control. We sought to address two questions: (1) to what extent has HIV EA in the region been programmed and delivered in a way that supports long-term sustainability and (2) how should developme…
Implementing Sars-CoV-2 routine surveillance in antenatal care in Zambia, 2021–2022
Incorporating SARS-CoV-2 surveillance into routine antenatal care is feasible and potentially sustainable when existing health system infrastructure, human resources, and surveillance systems are leveraged. Yet, careful planning is needed to anticipate implementation challenges and ensure high-quality data collection
Africa’s ownership of a sustainable health journey towards an Aids-free future
Africa is on the brink of an evolutionary leap, transitioning from dependency on external aid to establishing itself as an autonomous and sustainable hub for innovation. Despite significant progress in the HIV response, 1 over-reliance on imported models of service delivery and limited African investments threatens this journey. A shift towards self-reliance is both needed and feasible, as Africa possesses the minds and resources required.2 In vi…
Medicine (13 works) · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions (8 works) · Environmental health (7 works) · Demography (6 works) · Family medicine (6 works) · Internal Medicine (6 works) · Pediatrics (5 works) · Population (5 works) · Public health (5 works) · COVID-19 Impact on Reproduction (4 works)