Engaging the private sector in the HIV response: three case studies from Zambia

Deirdre Allison with Rose Smart and Victoria Kelly, 2009

It has become commonplace to recommend a national multi-sectoral response to HIV and AIDS. But what does this mean in practice for the private sector in an African country?

This paper discusses three distinct examples of how the Strengthening the AIDS Response Zambia (STARZ) programme worked with the National HIV/AIDS/STI/TB Council Zambia, network organisations and private enterprises to help the private sector take responsibility for addressing HIV and AIDS. The role of the STARZ programme in these initiatives varied, but was always catalytic and strategic. The common thread was to focus on specific niches where institutions could be brought together to form new partnerships bringing out the comparative advantage of each private sector actor involved.

The case studies explored in this paper illustrate the STARZ model of flexible strategic support, including:

• The Zambia Workplace AIDS Partnership
• Public-Private Partnership to expand ART
• The Cost-Benefit Analysis of HIV Programmes in Zambia study

Produced as part of the Strengthening the AIDS Response Zambia (STARZ) programme.