THE Medical for Quality Healthcare in Zambia (MQHZ) says government should stop using clinical students to try and combat the spread of the Coronavirus as it will compromise the struggle against the deadly outbreak in the country.

In a statement, Monday, MQHZ director-general Dr Quince Mwabu urged government to stop using clinical students to combat the spread of the COVID-19 as it would compromise the struggle against the deadly outbreak currently wreaking havoc around the world.

He, however, argued that trained health workers should instead be recruited and deployed to tackle the crisis.

“MQHZ is demanding that the Ministry of Health should stop using clinical students in trying to combat the spread of the Coronavirus. Using students is heavily compromising this crucial struggle against COVID-19 in Zambia. Instead of deploying students, MQHZ implores the Ministry of Health to recruit trained health workers who are currently jobless. We are aware that thousands of health workers all over the world have contracted the Coronavirus in their course of work. This clearly means that we need well trained personnel to effectively discharge preventive, as well curative measures against the virus. We do not want our students to risk their lives when government can easily engage well qualified staff. We call upon the Ministry of Health to send all clinical students home,” Dr Mwabu urged.

He called on the government to take the outbreak seriously and stop all gatherings in the country.

The medical expert further said a travel ban from and to COVID-19 hit countries should immediately be implemented.

“We further ask the Government of the Republic of Zambia to take this crisis very seriously and learn from how other African countries are robustly handling this pandemic. We need mandatory quarantine of all social groupings and gatherings in Zambia. We also need to implement travel bans to and from Coronavirus-hit countries. As an organization, we want to take this opportunity to stress the fact that being Chinese is not synonymous with having COVID-19. It is very important for people to understand that all Chinese in Zambia, who have not travelled out of the country, are free of the virus and should be treated without any suspicion,” stated Dr Mwabu.