The Health Professionals Council of Zambia (HPCZ) has suspended Copperstone University’s Diploma in Environmental Health programme.

HPCZ Registrar Bornface Bwalya said the suspension was indefinite.

Bwalya was speaking at a media briefing in Ndola at the HPCZ office, Tuesday.

“At Copperstone University, we conducted compliance and established that they were not meeting the standards. In November last year we issued a notice to suspend the the program. We expected that they could follow the notice. On January 6, 2020, we established that little process was made for the program. They persistently failed them meet the minimum standards,” Bwalya said.

“The program for environmental health be suspended indefinitely. This means that the institution is not allowed to conduct this program. Copperstone University approached to offer Diploma in Environmental Health or suspend it.”

He said the students are not at fault and the institution would bear the cost.

“To the students, for now, the training will not take place until they put everything in the guidelines. This is the only program that was approved by HPCZ. We will keep an eye on them and ensure that no training is taking place. If they go against that, the law is there and we will take them to court because that will be breaking the law with impunity,” Bwalya said.

Bwalya said students who had already graduated with diplomas in Environmental Health from this institution would be evaluated.

“Those that graduated, we have to evaluate the students. They will need to get back for training at the expense of the institution. This is not a problem if the students, but the institution. The institution lacked skills laboratory, on site copies of text books and qualified personal to teach the program, as some of the reasons for suspension,” said Bwalya.