The Health Professional Council of Zambia has issued a notice of intention to close Fairview Hospital in Lusaka for endangering the lives of patients.

This decision was arrived at officials from the council made an impromptu visit to inspect the compliance levels at the hospital.

Addressing journalists soon after the operation, HPCZ Assistant Registrar Dr Joseph Wapabeyi cited abnormalities at the institution among them stocking and dispensing of expired drugs.

He also said three of the doctors were not registered with the council thereby putting the lives of patients in danger.

And HPCZ Legal counsel Frank Lungu disclosed The Health Professional Council of Zambia had with immediate effect revoked the hospital’s operating license.

He said the facility had been issued with a 14-day ultimatum in which to address the abnormalities or risk being taken to court.

Meanwhile, HPCZ public relations officer Terry Musonda said in an interview that the hospital had been advised not to take in any new clients and transfer patients in a stable condition to other medical facilities.

“We have issued a notice of intention to close. This is due to a number of reasons, among them, for stocking and dispensing expired drugs, lack of proper waste disposal, engaging of medical practitioners without practicing licenses issued by HPCZ at the facility, also stocking expired reagents in the laboratory and in addition to that, the engagement of practitioners who are interns who are not supposed to be employed due to the fact that they are interns. To that effect, they have been directed to ensure that within 14 days, they work on the anomalies which have been discovered failure to which other measures and options will be taken. As a preventive measure, we have advised them that they should not take in new patients or clients and the new patients on admission who are not critically ill should be taken to other health facilities with immediate effect until corrective measures are taken and approved by HPCZ,” said Musonda.