Rwanda Zambia HIV Research Group

The Rwanda Zambia HIV Research Group (RZHRG) has been a global leader in the fight against HIV/AIDS for more than 25 years, supporting Couples' Voluntary Counseling and Testing (CVCT) throughout sub-Saharan Africa. CVCT is proven to reduce the transmission of HIV by more than two-thirds among those couples who do not share the same HIV status. In the RZHRG model, HIV test results are shared with the partners together, and counselors work with them to develop a plan to help them address the impact of HIV/AIDS in their lives. In 2009, RZHRG and its sister site in Zambia (the Zambia Emory HIV Research Project or ZEHRP) were designated Couples' HIV Counseling and Testing Centers of Excellence by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The Centers of Excellence (COE) provide training and technical assistance for countries and organizations interested in integrating couples' HIV counseling and testing into their HIV-prevention initiatives. RZHRG professionals are available for on-site consultancies, and the Centers of Excellence in Zambia and Rwanda provide best-in-class didactic and practicum training to facilitate, encourage and support the integration of couples' testing into broader healthcare and HIV-prevention strategies.