In this episode of Going anti-Viral, Dr Michael Saag speaks with Dr Izukanji Sikazwe, the Chief Executive Officer for the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ). Dr Sikazwe joins Dr Saag to provide an overview of her symposium presentation at the 2025 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) entitled Innovations in HIV Service Delivery: Building a Path Forward with Those Left Behind. Dr Sikazwe discusses her career journey in treatment of HIV in Zambia and her path to CIDRZ. Dr Sikazwe and Dr Saag discuss the history of HIV and AIDS in Zambia and address the impact that PEPFAR had on the disease when it arrived in the country in 2004. They discuss how PEPFAR has operated in Zambia and provide a current overview of the sudden cancellation of USAID contracts on those receiving HIV care and treatment and other health services. Finally, they look ahead given the current disruptions on how Zambia and other countries can move forward to meet the needs of those in need of care.

0:00 – Introduction

1:41 – Dr Sikazwe reviews her path to CIDRZ

5:21 – History of HIV and AIDS in Zambia and discussion of stigma

7:53 – The impact of PEPFAR’s arrival in Zambia and Dr Sikazwe’s personal history with treatment during that time

13:37 – How PEPFAR works in Zambia

16:56 – Impact of recent decision by the US government to cancel USAID contracts

22:31 – Disruption to other health services that USAID has supported in Zambia

23:50 – Response from the government in Zambia

24:46 – Status of HIV in Zambia prior to cancellation of USAID contracts

25:50 – The best-case scenario for people living with HIV globally and closing remarks

Resources: 

• CROI 2025: https://www.croiconference.org/
• Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ): https://www.cidrz.org/   
• PEPFAR: https://www.state.gov/pepfar/ 

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Produced by IAS-USA, Going anti–Viral is a podcast for clinicians involved in research and care in HIV, its complications, and other viral infections. This podcast is intended as a technical source of information for specialists in this field, but anyone listening will enjoy learning more about the state of modern medicine around viral infections.

Going anti-Viral’s host is Dr Michael Saag, a physician, prominent HIV researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and volunteer IAS–USA board member. In most episodes, Dr Saag interviews an expert in infectious diseases or emerging pandemics about their area of specialty and current developments in the field. Other episodes are drawn from the IAS–USA vast catalogue of panel discussions, Dialogues, and other audio from various meetings and conferences.

Email [email protected] to send feedback, show suggestions, or questions to be answered on a later episode.

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