Background Prison populations in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) experience a high burden of disease and poor access to health care. Although it is generally understood that environmental conditions are dire and contribute to disease spread, evidence of how environmental conditions interact with facility-level social and institutional factors is lacking. This study aimed to unpack the nature of interactions and their influence on health and healthcare access in the Zambian prison setting.Methods We conducted in-depth interviews of a clustered random sample of 79 male prisoners across four prisons, as well as 32 prison officers, policy makers and health care workers. Largely inductive thematic analysis was guided by the concepts of dynamic interaction and emergent behaviour, drawn from the theory of complex adaptive systems.Results A majority of inmates, as well as facility-based officers reported anxiety linked to overcrowding, sanitation, infectious disease transmission, nutrition and coercion. Due in part to differential wealth of inmates and their support networks on entering prison, and in part to the accumulation of authority and material wealth within prison, we found enormous inequity in the standard of living among prisoners at each site. In the context of such inequities, failure of the Zambian prison system to provide basic necessities (including adequate and appropriate forms of nutrition, or access to quality health care) contributed to high rates of inmate-led and officer-led coercion with direct implications for health and access to healthcare. Conclusions This systems-oriented analysis provides a more comprehensive picture of the way resource shortages and human interactions within Zambian prisons interact and affect inmate and officer health. While not a panacea, our findings highlight some strategic entry-points for important upstream and downstream reforms including urgent improvement in the availability of human resources for health; strengthening of facility-based health services systems and more comprehensive pre-service health education for prison officers.

BackgroundResearch exploring the drivers of health outcomes of women who are in prison in low- and middle-income settings is largely absent. This study aimed to identify and examine the interaction between structural, organisational and relational factors influencing Zambian women prisoners’ health and healthcare access.MethodsWe conducted in-depth interviews of 23 female prisoners across four prisons, as well as 21 prison officers and health care workers. The prisoners were selected in a multi-stage sampling design with a purposive selection of prisons followed by a random sampling of cells and of female inmates within cells. Largely inductive thematic analysis was guided by the concepts of dynamic interaction and emergent behaviour, drawn from the theory of complex adaptive systems.ResultsWe identified compounding and generally negative effects on health and access to healthcare from three factors: i) systemic health resource shortfalls, ii) an implicit prioritization of male prisoners’ health needs, and iii) chronic and unchecked patterns of both officer- and inmate-led victimisation. Specifically, women’s access to health services was shaped by the interactions between lack of in-house clinics, privileged male prisoner access to limited transport options, and weak responsiveness by female officers to prisoner requests for healthcare. Further intensifying these interactions were prisoners’ differential wealth and access to family support, and appointments of senior ‘special stage’ prisoners which enabled chronic victimisation of less wealthy or less powerful individuals.ConclusionsThis systems-oriented analysis revealed how Zambian women’s prisoners’ health and access to healthcare is influenced by weak resourcing for prisoner health, administrative biases, and a prevailing organisational and inmate culture. Findings highlight the urgent need for investment in structural improvements in health service availability but also interventions to reform the organisational culture which shapes officers’ understanding and responsiveness to women prisoners’ health needs.

Health and health service access in Zambian prisons are in a state of 'chronic emergency'. This study aimed to identify major structural barriers to strengthening the prison health systems. A case-based analysis drew on key informant interviews (n = 7), memos generated during workshops (n = 4) document review and investigator experience. Structural determinants were defined as national or macro-level contextual and material factors directly or indirectly influencing prison health services. The analysis revealed that despite an favourable legal framework, four major and intersecting structural factors undermined the Zambian prison health system. Lack of health financing was a central and underlying challenge. Weak health governance due to an undermanned prisons health directorate impeded planning, inter-sectoral coordination, and recruitment and retention of human resources for health. Outdated prison infrastructure simultaneously contributed to high rates of preventable disease related to overcrowding and lack of basic hygiene. These findings flag the need for policy and administrative reform to establish strong mechanisms for domestic prison health financing and enable proactive prison health governance, planning and coordination.

IntroductionIn 2013, the Zambian Correctional Service (ZCS) partnered with the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia on the Zambian Prisons Health System Strengthening project, seeking to tackle structural, organisational and cultural weaknesses within the prison health system. We present findings from a nested evaluation of the project impact on high, mid-level and facility-level health governance and health service arrangements in the Zambian Correctional Service.MethodsMixed methods were used, including document review, indepth interviews with ministry (11) and prison facility (6) officials, focus group discussions (12) with male and female inmates in six of the eleven intervention prisons, and participant observation during project workshops and meetings. Ethical clearance and verbal informed consent were obtained for all activities. Analysis incorporated deductive and iterative inductive coding.Results Outcomes: Improved knowledge of the prison health system strengthened political and bureaucratic will to materially address prison health needs. This found expression in a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Health (MOH) and Ministry of Community Development, and in the appointment of a permanent liaison between MOH and ZCS. Capacity-building workshops for ZCS Command resulted in strengthened health planning and management outcomes, including doubling ZCS health professional workforce (from 37 to78 between 2014 and 2016), new preservice basic health training for incoming ZCS officers and formation of facility-based prison health committees with a mandate for health promotion and protection. Mechanisms: continuous and facilitated communication among major stakeholders and the emergence of interorganisational trust were critical. Enabling contextual factors included a permissive political environment, a shift within ZCS from a ‘punitive’ to ‘correctional’ organisational culture, and prevailing political and public health concerns about the spread of HIV and tuberculosis.ConclusionWhile not a panacea, findings demonstrate that a ‘systems’ approach to seemingly intractable prison health system problems yielded a number of short-term tactical and long-term strategic improvements in the Zambian setting. Context-sensitive application of such an approach to other settings may yield positive outcomes.

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of the FIFA 11 for Health programme in increasing children's knowledge about communicable and non-communicable diseases in five countries of Sub-Saharan Africa. Method: A prospective five-cohort study was implemented in schools in Ghana (17), Malawi (12), Namibia (11), Tanzania (18) and Zambia (11). The programme consisted of eleven 90-minute sessions consisting of two 45-minute halves of Play Football (football skills) and Play Fair (health issues). Participants were boys and girls aged 10-14 years: Ghana (906), Malawi (1098), Namibia (439), Tanzania (720), Zambia (651). The main outcome measures recorded were children's attendances at each session, their health knowledge (30-item questionnaire) before and after the interventions and the children's evaluation of the programme itself by means of a six-item questionnaire. Results: Mean attendance by children during the programme ranged from 88% (Malawi) to 99% (Tanzania) of participants. Increases in the children's overall level of health knowledge were recorded in all countries: range: 11% (Malawi) to 25% (Namibia). Children's overall evaluation-rating of the programme was very positive in all countries, ranging from 93% (Zambia) to 98% (Namibia, Tanzania). Conclusions: The FIFA 11 for Health programme produced significant increases in children's health knowledge and their awareness of disease prevention using an in-school, football-based health education programme. This success was most likely linked to the very high satisfaction rating given to the programme by the children involved. The success of the interventions also demonstrated the benefit of collaborating with the Ministries of Education in each country.

BackgroundFrom 2013, the Zambian Corrections Service (ZCS) worked with partners to strengthen prison health systems and services. One component of that work led to the establishment of facility-based Prison Health Committees (PrHCs) comprising of both inmates and officers. We present findings from a nested evaluation of the impact of eight PrHCs 18 months after programme initiation.MethodsIn-depth-interviews were conducted with 11 government ministry and Zambia Corrections Service officials and 6 facility managers. Sixteen focus group discussions were convened separately with PrHC members (21 females and 51 males) and non-members (23 females and 46 males) in 8 facilities. Memos were generated from participant observation in workshops and meetings preceding and after implementation. We sought evidence of PrHC impact, refined with reference to Joshi’s three domains of impact for social accountability interventions – state (represented by facility-based prison officials), society (represented here by inmates), and state-society relations (represented by inmate-prison official relations). Further analysis considered how project outcomes influenced structural dimensions of power, ability and justice relating to accountability.ResultsData pointed to a compelling series of short- and mid-term outcomes, with positive impact on access to, and provision of, health services across most facilities. Inmates (members and non-members) reported being empowered via a combination of improved health literacy and committee members’ newly-given authority to seek official redress for complaints and concerns. Inmates and officers described committees as improving inmate-officer relations by providing a forum for information exchange and shared decision making. Contributing factors included more consistent inmate-officer communications through committee meetings, which in turn enhanced trust and co-production of solutions to health problems. Nonetheless, long-term sustainability of accountability impacts may be undermined by permanently skewed power relations, high rates of inmate (and thus committee member) turnover, variable commitment from some officers in-charge, and the anticipated need for more oversight and resources to maintain members’ skills and morale.ConclusionOur study shows that PrHCs do have potential to facilitate improved social accountability in both state and societal domains and at their intersection, for an extremely vulnerable population. However, sustained and meaningful change will depend on a longer-term strategy that integrates structural reform and is delivered through meaningful cross-sectoral partnership.

BackgroundIn Zambia, prison health and health services are in a state of ‘chronic emergency’. Since 2013, the Zambian Corrections Service (ZCS) partnered with Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ) to understand and strengthen prisoner health and access to healthcare. A key component of this work was the establishment of 11 facility-level Prison Healthcare Committees (PrHCs) comprising officer and inmate members, with a specific remit to deliver health education and provide monitoring for facility level service access. Findings presented are from operations research evaluating the feasibility of these PrHCs.MethodsMixed qualitative methods included, in-depth interviews (11 Ministry and ZCS officials; 6 facility managers) and focus group discussions (FGDs) with members of 6 PrHCs, and 6 groups of non-PrHC-inmates in the same facilities. Memos were generated from participant observation in workshops and meetings preceding and after implementation. All activities were subject to verbal informed consent and interviews and FGDs were audio-recorded with permission.ResultsKey informants were strongly supportive of PrHCs, noting potential for improved health information dissemination, strengthened preventive service-coverage, routine service monitoring and facility-level accountability. PrHC members confirmed ZCS-led training had taken place and that they had been given authority to deliver information-based health interventions and facilitate quicker referrals to primary care. The early phase of implementation (3–6 months at data collection) produced mixed accounts regarding PrHCs' capacity to fulfil other preventive services or conduct data collection. Departure of PrHC members due to transfer and/or release was the most frequently listed challenge.ConclusionsThese data suggest the feasibility of establishing a committee comprising both officers and inmates to address a fundamental gap in facility-level mechanisms for health information delivery and service accountability. Findings nonetheless suggest PrHCs will require iterative adjustments and ongoing problem-solving by local officials. Context-sensitive application of these principles to other settings may yield positive outcomes.

IntroductionWe describe the VMMC uptake across in Rural Non-circumcising provinces of Luapula, Northern and Muchinga 2018 to 2020. Method This was cross sectional analysis of routine programme data targeting males 10 years older (from October 2018 to April 2020), 15 years (from May 2020) and above VMMC was undertaken using both static and outreach activities. A multi-pronged strategy was adopted that included procurement of VMMC kits to supplement the government’s shortfall, training of VMMC providers (doctors, clinical officers and nurses) dedicated space for circumcision in each facility, logistics support ( fuel and allowances) for outreach programs, mapping of catchment areas for community mobilization and demand creation. All circumcisions performed were recorded in MOH VMMC registers. Data collected was verified by Provincial Health Office. Daily Situation Room (DSR) reports were used to monitor performance. Poor performing districts were followed up and challenges addressed to improve performance. ResultsA total of 2,130 focused outreach activities were carried out between 2018 and 2020 across the three provinces and 486,750 participants were reached. Of the 486,750 participants reached, 151, 428 were circumcised; 56136 (37%) from Northern, 49297 (33%) from Muchinga, and 45995 (30%) from Luapula. There was a three-fold increase in circumcision between 2018 and 2019 (14,746 circumcisions in 2018 vs 54,287 circumcisions in 2019) and a 14% increase from 2019 (38%) to 2020 (52%; 58,287 circumcisions). Most (76%) of the circumcision were done in the age group 15 to 29 years. HIV testing was undertaken among 6,319 participants giving a positivity rate of 2.4% (149). Improved results were associated with logistical support such as transport, VMMC commodity supplies, and increased dedicated VMMC providers. ConclusionHealth systems support including training, logistical support, dedicated space and supply of commodities assisted in increase of VMMC uptake in these rural non-traditional circumcision provinces. even amidst the outbreak of COVID19. Health systems strengthening and community outreach programmes are recommended for building health programs resilience in era of the COVID pandemic.