The Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI) and Development Aid from People to People (DAPP) have signed a two-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance community-led disease surveillance, early detection, and public health emergency preparedness across selected districts in six provinces.

The partnership will strengthen community-based surveillance and Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE), ensuring faster detection, notification, and response to public health threats in line with the 7-1-7 framework. Trained polyvalent Community Health Workers will play a key role as frontline responders, supporting early warning systems, referrals, and community engagement.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, ZNPHI Director General, Prof. Roma Chilengi, emphasised the importance of placing communities at the centre of public health preparedness, while DAPP Managing Director, Ms. Elise Soerensen, highlighted the value of aligning community action with national surveillance systems.

The collaboration will be supported in its first year through the Resolve to Save Lives funding and aims to generate evidence to inform scale-up and strengthen Zambia’s capacity to respond to public health threats.

Source: ZNPHI