Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia
The Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia is a non-profit organization established by faculty and students from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in 1997, and formally incorporated in Zambia in 2001. CIDRZ was originally created as an infectious disease and maternal-child health research unit. The organization has since expanded its operations to include support to the Zambian government in its fight against HIV/AIDS. The stated mission of CIDRZ is "to improve lives and communities through research, disease prevention and treatment, and HIV/AIDS care" Most of CIDRZ expatriate faculty are now affiliated with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, although UAB and the University of East Anglia also have personnel in the field.
Work
CIDRZ's work includes:
- Conducting clinical trials and other critical biomedical research relevant to Zambia and the region
- Training medical staff, counselors, community members, and public health officials to continuously upgrade skills, improve the delivery of health care at the primary facility level, and sustain HIV prevention and treatment programs
- Providing support to the Zambian Government in its HIV prevention and AIDS treatment programs throughout Zambia
- Improving the healthcare systems and infrastructure in Zambia.
- Providing patient care
CIDRZ is governed by a local board of directors that comprises leaders from business, healthcare, and government. It is incorporated as a non-profit company under the Zambian Companies Registrar.
