The year 2009 has registered more results in achieving CHAZ’saspirations and goals as set out in the 2006 – 2010 Strategic Plan.We have undoubtedly inched further in attaining these goals andaspirations. Top on the accomplishment list in 2009 is the completion of
the CHAZ warehouse along the Great East Road. CHAZ also provided life-saving antiretroviral drugs to a further 13,495 people with advanced HIV infection bringing the total to 31,328. In terms of PMTCT, CHAZ provided ARV prophylaxis to a further 1,749 HIV+ pregnant women bringing the cumulative figure to 6,675. A total of 21,342 men and women were reached with counselling and testing services. CHAZ signed the Global Fund HIV Round 8 grant amounting to US$31 million; the restructuring exercise at the Secretariat was completed; the decentralisation of programmes, M&E and Grants begun with the selection, recruitment and orientation of provincial staff, and; internal systems were further strengthened.

Moving further in 2010, it is important to take note that the Association has reached a landmark 40 years of existence during which it has grown from an insignificant local organisation to a very influential organisation locally and internationally. This calls for gratitude to God for his blessings towards the Association. It also calls for sober, mature and objective reflections on the past and the future of the Association. Providentially, this has coincided with the process of reviewing current (2006 – 2010) strategic plan and developing the next for 2011 – 2015. We must take hold of this opportunity with firm hands!

There is therefore no doubt that reviewing the current Strategic Plans and developing the 2011 – 2015 Strategic Plan is the single most important engagement for the Association this year.The current strategic period has seen the organisation rapidly grow and as a result leaped into the limelight in terms of healthservice delivery in Zambia. This growth and recognition is a subject heralded by our stakeholders locallyand abroad. As we develop the next strategic plan, we must ensure that this growth is maintained andthe Association must become an even stronger and competent ally of the Ministry of Health in deliveringquality health care services in Zambia. Care must be taken to ensure that we broaden our perspectiveof health to go beyond our traditional understanding to embrace such critical determinants of health as
food security, water and sanitation, etc. The point is, we must broaden our mandate and ensure that thecommunities we serve are provided with holistic, quality health services as close to the family as possible!

Other important priorities for 2010 include the following. First, lobbying and securing funding for the newoffice buildings. This is an imperative assignment that we must all join hands to find the needed resourceswithin Zambia and abroad. Secondly, finalising the revision of the MoU with the Government is an importantundertaking that must be completed in 2010. Resource mobilisation has been the cornerstone of CHAZ’s success hitherto and it must remain so in 2010 and beyond. CHAZ cannot afford to be complacent and we must harness all our energies and work hard to increase our financial base and have funding to carry out our mandate. Finally, CHAZ’s sustainability has been a chorus for the last few years and must remain so even in 2010. We must strive to reduce donor dependency and pioneer the cradle of self sustained local NGOs in Zambia. This is a challenge we must all gladly and wholeheartedly embrace in 2010.

May I thank our stakeholders without whom the accomplishments of 2009 would not be heralded today. In particular, I wish to thank the CHIs, Board members and the Advisory committee members whose invaluable oversight over the work of the Secretariat made challenging work seem less daunting.