Namakau Nyambe
GFMER Coordinator for Zambia
Namakau Nyambe, BAEd, MA Gender
Program Officer- FHI 360, a USAID Funded Project in Zambia
NNyambe@fhi360.org
Namakau Nyambe works as a Program Officer in the Clinical Services Evaluation and Gender Units at FHI 360. She holds a Bachelor of Arts with education degree and a Master of Arts in gender studies both of which she obtained from the University of Zambia. She has more than 5 years of experience coordinating research studies in US government sponsored organizations in areas including; HIV, gender, family planning, malaria, adolescents and reproductive health. She has 4 years’ experience in administration work in research studies including logistical management and budgetary oversight. Ms. Nyambe also works as a part time lecturer at the University of Zambia School of Public health in the Department of Nutrition and Population Studies. She teaches Gender and Health to students in the Master in Public Health and Nutrition and Population Studies programs. Her interests include program implementation, research coordination and management in the areas of HIV, Family Planning, Gender and Sexual and Reproductive Health and logistics management. Ms. Nyambe is currently Co- Principal investigator for a study looking at integration of Non- Communicable Disease (NCD) care into the HIV treatment platform in Kitwe and Kabwe, Zambia.
My passion is to see more health workers being well empowered with up to date knowledge and skills in sexual and reproductive health. I would also like to assist in making sexual and reproductive health services and information available to all people even in hard to reach areas. In addition, I am very passionate about use of evidence based interventions in the health system. Therefore I intend to be conducting more research on issues related to sexual and reproductive health in Zambia.
Publications
- “The sky is the limit”: Adhering to antiretroviral therapy and HIV self-management from the perspectives of adolescents living with HIV and their adult care givers. Julie A Denison, Harry Banda, Alexis C Dennis, Catherine Packer, Namakau Nyambe, Randy M Stalter, Jonathan K Mwansa, Patrick Katayamoyo, Donna R McCarraher. J Int AIDS Soc 2015 13;18(1):19358. Epub 2015 Jan 13.
- Is Male Involvement in ANC and PMTCT Associated with Increased Facility-Based Obstetric Delivery in Pregnant Women? Joshua Kashitala, Namakau Nyambe, Stuart Mwalo, Josephine Musamba, Nathaniel Chishinga, Prisca Kasonde, Anna M. Lilja, Angel Mwiche and Michael Welsh. Afr J Reprod Health 2015; 19[2]: 117-124.
Summary of Reproductive Health Situation in Zambia
| Indicator | Level |
| Maternal mortality ratio (out of 100,000) | 398 |
| Infant mortality rate (per 1000 live births) (deaths in the first year of life) | 70 |
| Child mortality rate (per 1000 live births, in the first five years) | 119 |
| Proportion of Births Attended by Skilled Birth Attendants | 64% |
| Antenatal care coverage (at least one visit) | 96% |
| Total fertility rate | 5.3 |
| Adolescent birth rate (births per 1000 girls aged 15-19) | 141 |
| Contraceptive prevalence rate (% of women aged 15 to 49 years reporting that they use any method of contraception) | 49% any method 45% modern methods |
| Unmet need for family planning (%of women of reproductive age (aged 15-49) | 21% |
| Death due to unsafe abortions (per 100,000 illegal abortions | 50-100 |
| HIV and AIDS | |
| Number of people living with HIV | 1,100,000 (2013) |
| Adults aged 15 to 49 prevalence rate | 13.3% |
| Women Living with HIV as proportion of total prevalence | 15.1% |
| HIV positive pregnant women receiving antiretroviral drugs to reduce the risk of mother-to-child transmission | 86% |
Future activities to be carried out in Zambia
- GFMER to be introduced to the Ministry of Health through meeting with MOH staff (Hoping to have a GFMER official visit Zambia and officially introduce course to MOH if possible).
- Mapping of health organizations and dissemination of information on GFMER.
- Formation of in country alumni and Holding of meetings quarterly to share research collaborative ideas, paper writing ideas and respond to any questions from participants.
Links
- Zambia Demographic and Health Survey 2013-14
- Zambia National Health Policy
- Zambia Family Planning 2020