Friday, March 29, 2024

CIDRZ appoints Dr Izukanji Sikazwe as New CEO and Director

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The Board of Directors of the Centre for Infectious Diseases and Research has appointed Dr Izukanji Sikazwe as Chief Executive Officer and Director.

Dr Sikazwe has served for almost four years as Deputy CEO and emerged from a competitive recruitment process as the outstanding choice to lead the organisation going forward.

She will be the first Zambian leader of CIDRZ.

CIDRZ Board Chair Bradford Machila stated, “we celebrate the extraordinary efforts and successes of Dr Charles Holmes and Dr Sikazwe and their dedicated team who have transformed the organisation into a well-managed, high performing, and sustainable contributor to improvements in health in Zambia, and a model partner to the Government of the Republic of Zambia.”

Dr Izukanji Sikazwe
Dr Izukanji Sikazwe

Mr Machila said, “They have built new partnerships and strengthened trust with all levels of government, UNZA, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and all of our donors. Dr Sikazwe has contributed directly to many of the gains we have made, and will ably carry forward more progress and chart new avenues for CIDRZ to improve the health of Zambians.”

Dr Sikazwe is a graduate of the University of Zambia School of Medicine and has speciality qualifications in Internal Medicine, Infectious Disease, and Public Health from US universities.

Her work has been funded by the US National Institutes of Health, US CDC, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the World Health Organization.
Dr Holmes is returning to the US with his family as part of a planned transition after serving for four years as CIDRZ CEO.
He is on faculty at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland and will continue serving CIDRZ as an elected member of the Board of Directors.

27 COMMENTS

  1. Congratulations to Dr Sikazwe. She deserves it rather than PF bandits without formal education running important governmental institutions.
    The Skeleton Key
    ~206~

  2. This is refreshing. Congratulations Dr Sikazwe. She is a very eloquent and accomplished personality. You cannot doubt her value to CIDRZ. We have so much talent in this country. Dr Sikazwe is one!!!

  3. A quick check on Google Scholar shows she’s not well published as lead author meaning her research experience is humble; so this may just be a muzungu anikonde appointment. Managerial experience? Maybe! Would have loved to see a Zambian professor head this research centre. With that, congratulations Dr Sikazwe!

  4. Zambianisation of these key positions may also mean the funding portfolio is getting depleted and new funding is miles away

    • Off-course you’ve hit the nail on the head, CIDRZ’s funding has very much dwindled and most of the people have since lost their jobs as of October 2016

  5. Congrats Izukanji. Keep it up. The people who work with you have seen your value and appreciated what you can do. God bless you.

  6. Izu we received at UNZA Main Campus in your First Year! My former Room mate’s (Mwela Sikazwe) young Sister. That was more than two and a half decades ago! Is this how far you have come? Go Girl! Let no one discourage you. You have always looked promising. Well done, Dr. Sikazwe! Hats off for you!

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