70 medical doctors, who graduated from the University of Zambia based in the United States and Canada, have committed to raise funds for institution.
The doctors yesterday gathered at the Marriott hotel in Washington DC for a reunion as well as to fundraise for their former university.
The students who included those from the first graduating class of UNZA in 1974, former lecturers have pledged to fundraise for the school and provide resources including books, computers and human resource.
Chairperson of the Friends of the University of Zambia (UNZA) Dr. Rukhsana Rahman said the students have over the years been raising funds as individuals and smaller groups but would now like to cast the net wide get many people to invest resources into the university.
“We realize that UNZA Ridgway campus is in need of support and what better way for us to unite and pool resources to help restore the school” Dr. Rahman said.
“The school is in need of journals for the medical students as well as computers and other training tools” she added.
And Charge affairs at the Zambian Embassy in Washington DC, Mr. Ben Kangwa commended the doctors for their interest in supporting UNZA many years after they left the institution.
He urged the friends of UNZA to not only support the institution through financial support but also through visiting lecturer programs, where doctors can give lectures at Zambian medical institutions.
“You could also promote student exchange visits as part of elective courses where students from the U.S are exposed to the methods of medical practice in Zambia” Mr. Kangwa added.
He observed that such programs are usually inhibited by lack of sponsorship but encouraged the doctors to support the initiative.
Mr. Kangwa also called on the friend of UNZA to consider visiting professional medical teams or camps to Zambia with a focus on specific areas of need as identified by the experts on the ground.
The Charge d’ affairs further called for support to research collaboration, tele-medicine development, professional exchange programs, joint medical professional organization and technical support to the Zambian Ministry of Health towards systems and programs service improvement.
“We would like to see a situation where we are able to reverse the trend in the Zambian medical field of “brain drain” to that of “brain gain”, “Mr. Kangwa observed
Meanwhile, the Health Professions Council of Zambia Registrar Dr Mary Zulu says the UNZA school of medicine faces many challenges today as they is need for increased infrastructure, and teaching staff.
Dr Zulu who was a guest speaker at the friend of UNZA reunion revealed that although the school was offering more programs there was shortage on the establishment.
“Out of the 257 lecturers in the establishment, 71 were full time, out of these there only 8 full professors and 3 associate professors leaving the school with a deficit of 186 lecturers.” Dr Zulu said.
She said the school still required increased bed space saying the current space was meant for 571 beds when there were now 1673 students.
Dr Zulu observed that the country had made many strides in introducing more specialized programs including masters programs in science and nursing.
She said the establishment of degree programs at private universities would also help cushion the deficit of medical personal.
The friend of UNZA included Dr. David Levitt, Lecturer at the University of Zambia Medical School, who got a standing ovation for his outstanding service to the school of medicine.
And Dr. Arvind Bhakta who was in the class of 1974 the first graduates at UNZA, said with team work all is possible saying that a few doctors formed a golf fundraising dubbed the ‘Mosi golf fundraiser” that raised monies towards projects in Zambia including UNZA.
Dr BHAKTA said the fundraising gold tournament raised over 10,000 dollars’ worth of books for UNZA.
He added that the tournament was held over 14 year period in various cities including, Florida, Oklahoma, Nashville, Los angles and Toronto, Canada.
The friend of UNZA also observed a minute of silence for the former First lady Mrs. Betty Kaunda who passed away a few weeks ago.
The event was characterized my nostalgic experiences by the doctors who were at the school of medicine in the 1970s through to the 1980s.
:d
Thats is very encouraging please make those donations they are very much wanted.
Ha ha ha ..nice picture, I wont reveal my age by naming one of the lecturers in the picture lol!!
It’s made my day
Good.
BUT Ukwa was busy shouting people that have migrated to work inother countries. here is atypical benefit. he wants these Dr’s to come and work in Zambia in remote areas as opposed to USA and other countries which have made it possible for them to provide for their families better.
Ukwa is Mad.
What are those Doctors trained in Zambia doing in the states, first bring your asses to zambia and teach at the institution, then i can not any zambian names only indian like names, we need names like Dr. R. B Banda, Mwanza, Mwansa,Phiri, Hichilema, Habasankwa,silombe, Chilufya,Sakala,etc
Malinso, are you trying to get someone “assess” your ar.se???
Heart warming pic….though balifye ba monko bekabeka.
#5, even names like Dr. Sata or Prof. Sata!!,
WHERE’S Dr NASA MWANSA. HE WAS ONE OF THOSE BRILLIANT STUDENT DOCTORS AT UNZA.
this is very good news..please help UNZA..
This class of people leave when a police with grade 7 education is more powerfull than this doctors and consistantanly threatening them to lock up in a 3by3 cell, if not given corruption money. Now they realise who the losers are.END CORRUPTION if u want them back.
This is great. I wish everyone would think like these doctors.
Ukwa was busy shouting in Botswana and Uk that keep yourselves in the Diaspora, u never even consulted anybody when u crossed the border. I will employ Chinese.
The very Chinese he used to threaten to deport when he won elections.
Commendable.
Hi, just wanted to say i liked this article.