COAZ President urges new clinical officers to drive healthcare innovation at White Coat Ceremony

The President of the Clinical Officers’ Association of Zambia (COAZ), Dr. Jones Neba, has called on newly admitted clinical medicine students to transcend traditional career pathways by embracing entrepreneurship, medical research, and leadership in healthcare delivery.

Speaking on Friday during the White Coat Ceremony for Clinical Officer General students at the School of Defence Health Sciences, Dr. Neba congratulated the cohort on attaining the milestone, framing the event as a transition into a profession rooted in public trust and service.

Addressing the inductees, Dr. Neba emphasized that personal integrity, clinical discipline, compassion, and professional ethics remain non-negotiable pillars of patient care throughout their academic training and subsequent practice.

Beyond fundamental clinical competencies, the COAZ President challenged the students to position themselves as agents of structural reform within the country’s medical landscape.

He noted that addressing systemic challenges in Zambia’s health sector requires clinical officers who are not merely job seekers, but innovators and pioneer entrepreneurs capable of modernizing care delivery.

Dr. Neba also commended the management and faculty of the School of Defence Health Sciences for maintaining high academic and operational standards in training competent healthcare personnel for the national health grid.

Article by Karen Ngulube.