A report of the midterm review for Zambia’s National Health Sector Plan (2017-2021) was published in March 2020, highlighting program-specific analyses, progress towards target indicators and synthesis on next steps.
The analysis showed an overall positive picture in the first half of the NHSP with results including:
- Improvements in many maternal and child health outcomes, coverage of preventative interventions, prevalence of communicable diseases, and strengthening health sector performance
- Increase in life expectancy among men and women
- Significant mortality rate reduction of children under-five and adults
- Mortality of newborn infants remained the same
- Decline in fertility rates
- Increase in modern family planning methods, fastest among people in rural areas and lower socioeconomic groups
- Increase in ANC coverage, especially in the lower socioeconomic groups and increase in immunization rates among children
- Improvements in health system governance and health financing
- Intermediate position on child mortality, child stunting and fertility levels, and was among the top three countries with lowest