RTC Zambia traces its roots to Right to Care (RTC), a South African based NGO founded in 2001. The parent organization emerged in response to the severe HIV/AIDS epidemic in Southern Africa, at a time when access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) was extremely limited and public health systems were under-resourced.
Right to Care Zambia (RTCZ) is a Zambian non-governmental organization (NGO) that focuses on strengthening the national health system, with particular emphasis on HIV, tuberculosis (TB), cervical cancer, sexual and reproductive health, and health systems strengthening.
RTCZ was formally established in the year 2016 as a locally registered Zambian organization, and now a fully local registered organization. RTCZ works in close collaboration with Ministry of Health (MoH) through Provincial and District Health Offices and teaching hospitals and primary health facilities.
Expanded Quality Improvement Project (EQUIP). From its inception, RTCZ has focused heavily on HIV prevention, care, and treatment, contributing to Zambia’s progress toward UNAIDS 90–90–90 targets.
Key contributions include:
• Expansion of ART services in public health facilities.
• Implementation of Differentiated Service Delivery (DSD) models.
• Strengthening clinical mentorship for healthcare workers.
• Support for viral load scale-up.
RTCZ has supported innovations such as:
• Community ART delivery models.
• Multi-month dispensing (MMSD).
• Index testing and targeted HIV case finding.
• Retention and re-engagement strategies.
Recognizing the strong link between TB and HIV, RTCZ integrated TB screening, diagnosis, and treatment into HIV programs.
Activities have included:
• TB preventive therapy (TPT)
• Intensified TB case finding
• Strengthening TB/HIV collaborative activities
• Laboratory systems strengthening (GeneXpert utilization)
Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment
Zambia has one of the highest cervical cancer incidence rates globally, particularly among women living with HIV.
RTCZ became a key partner in:
• Cervical cancer screening using VIA (Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid).
• Introduction of screen-and-treat approaches.
• Integration of cervical cancer services into HIV clinics.
• Supporting treatment services such as cryotherapy and thermal ablation.
COVID-19 Pandemic (2020–2022)
During the COVID-19 pandemic, RTCZ:
• Supported ZNPHI with the development and hosting of the Covid and Cholera dashboards to monitor for case management.Over time, RTCZ expanded its operations to multiple provinces, often focusing on high burden districts. While coverage has varied depending on donor funding cycles, provinces have included:
• Lusaka
• Central
• Southern
• Copperbelt
• Eastern
• Muchinga
• Northern
• Luapula
RTCZ is widely recognized as an implementing partner rather than a direct service replacement, emphasizing capacity building of public sector systems ad therefore, exact provincial footprints have changed over time based on grants and MoH priorities.
Beyond disease-specific programming, RTCZ increasingly focused on health systems strengthening, including:
• Human resources for health
o Clinical mentorship
o Task shifting and task sharing
• Health information systems
o SmartCare (Zambia’s national electronic health record)
o Data quality improvement and use
• Supply chain support
o ART and laboratory commodity management
• Quality improvement (QI) initiatives
• Facility and community linkage strengthening
• Improved ART coverage and viral suppression.
• Strengthened clinical capacity in public facilities.
• Expanded access to cervical cancer screening and treatment.
• Improved health data quality and use.
• Stronger integration of HIV, TB, and reproductive health services.
Its work has supported Zambia’s broader achievement of near-epidemic control in several provinces.
As of 2025, Right to Care Zambia:
• Operates as an independent Zambian NGO.
• Remains a key PEPFAR implementing partner.
• Focuses on HIV, TB, cervical cancer, and health systems strengthening.
• Emphasizes sustainability, quality improvement, and localization.
