The Ministry of Health and Stakeholders in the health sector have welcomed a major step forward in strengthening healthcare regulation, following the official launch of the Revised National Healthcare Standards 2026 by the Health Professions Council of Zambia (HPCZ).
The high-level event, held in Lusaka brought together senior government officials, Provincial Health Directors, regulatory bodies, professional associations, cooperating partners, representatives of traditional and complementary medicine, and members of the media.
Speaking at the launch, delivering remarks on behalf of the Acting Minister of Health Cornelius Mweetwa, Permanent secretary for technical services Dr. Kennedy Lishimpi , reaffirmed government`s commitment to effective regulation as a cornerstone of a resilient and people-centred health system.
The Minister described the standards as timely and strategic, aligned with national development priorities and Zambia’s drive toward universal health coverage.
Meanwhile, the Health Professions Council of Zambia, Acting Chief Executive Officer and Registrar Mrs. Mutinta Monga Musaila, said the revised standards mark a critical milestone in improving the quality, safety, and professionalism of healthcare services across the country.
She noted that the standards respond to Zambia’s evolving health landscape, including the growth of telehealth, home-based care, traditional and complementary medicine, artificial intelligence in healthcare, and increasingly complex health advertising practices.
“The revised National Healthcare Standards 2026, together with six subsidiary guidelines, provide a harmonised regulatory framework to ensure healthcare services in Zambia meet internationally comparable benchmarks, while remaining responsive to innovation and investment in the sector,” she said.
And one of the cooperating partners, Amref Health Africa in Zambia, described the launch as a defining moment for quality assurance in healthcare.
Amref Health Africa in Zambia said tthe updated standards will help protect patient rights, promote ethical practice, and strengthen public trust in health institutions, while supporting a competent and well-regulated health workforce.
The Revised National Healthcare Standards 2026 are anchored in the Health Professions Act No. 17 of 2024 and are supported by six new subsidiary guidelines covering telehealth, artificial intelligence in healthcare, continuous professional development, ethical advertising of health services, domiciciliary and home-based care, and traditional, complementary and alternative medicine.
