Medcop-Hilltop Hospital

31/12/2025

📢 **JOB VACANCY**
*Position:** Medical Laboratory Technologist
📍Medcop-Hilltop Hospital

We are looking for a qualified and motivated **Medical Laboratory Technologist** to join our healthcare team.

✅ **Requirements:**

* Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology
* Registered with **HPCZ** with a valid practicing license
* 2–3 years’ experience (an added advantage)
* Ability to work independently and in a team

📋**Apply with:**

* Application letter
* CV
* Copies of certificates, NRC & practicing license

📧 Submit applications to: *hilltophospital.ndola@gmail.com

📅 **Closing Date:** 9/01/2026**

Send a message to learn more

29/12/2025

✨️Christmas 🎄 and New Year⚡️
are popular times to share meals with family and friends at barbecues, social gatherings and holiday celebrations. Unfortunately, food poisoning cases often increase during this period, with warmer weather and larger gatherings creating higher risks.

🤔Why the risk increases during this period ☀️

🔅Food can become contaminated more easily during the warmer months because:

🔅Bacteria multiply faster at higher temperatures
More food is prepared at once, often in home kitchens not designed for large volumes
🔅Multiple people may be handling food
🔅Food is prepared in unfamiliar locations such as parks or other homes

⚠️Reducing your risk
Transporting food

📌Take extra care with seafood. Ask for it to be packed with ice, transport it in an esky or insulated cool box, and refrigerate immediately.

📌When refrigeration is not available, keep high-risk foods (raw meat, dairy and other perishables) in a portable fridge, insulated cool box or an esky with plenty of ice.
⛔️Storing food

🔴Avoid overloading your fridge or freezer, as this reduces their ability to cool food safely. Store low-risk items such as drinks in eskies to free up space.
🔴Keep food covered and store meats in the fridge at or below 5°C.
🔴Follow the two-hour / four-hour rule for food kept between 5°C and 60°C:

- Less than two hours: refrigerate or use immediately
- Between two and four hours: use immediately
- More than four hours: throw it out
🔴Store cooked and ready-to-eat foods above raw foods in the fridge, and keep all foods well wrapped.
🔴Keep perishable foods hot (above 60°C) or cold (below 5°C), and check fridge temperatures regularly, especially in hot weather.
🔴Arrange food so cold air can circulate freely and defrost fridges regularly.

🚨Handling food safely

➡️Bacteria spread through poor handling and contact with pests. To reduce this risk:

➡️Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water before handling food, after using the toilet, and between handling raw and cooked foods.
➡️Use tongs, forks or spoons rather than bare hands.
Clean and sanitise benches, utensils and cutting boards.
Use separate cutting boards and knives for raw meat, seafood, vegetables and cooked foods.
➡️Wash fruit and vegetables, particularly if eaten raw.
Use safe, treated water for food preparation and cleaning.
➡️Use paper towels where possible, as dishcloths can harbour bacteria.
➡️Keep food and preparation areas protected from insects, pets and other pests.

🚯Disposal of unsafe food

⚡️Power outages can cause food to spoil quickly. If cold storage below 4°C is not available within two hours:

⚡️Food in a refrigerator is generally safe for up to two hours without power. If more than four hours have passed, discard it.
⚡️A full freezer can keep food frozen for up to 48 hours if the door remains closed, while a half-full freezer may keep food frozen for up to 24 hours. If the food has thawed, dispose of it.
🤞🚨Potentially hazardous foods should be eaten immediately, moved to alternative cold storage or disposed of.
For large quantities of spoiled food, such as from restaurants or cafés, contact the Town’s Environmental Health Services to ensure safe disposal and reduce the risk of pests and disease.

✨️Medcop-hilltop hospital 🏥
wishes all residents a safe and enjoyable Christmas and New Year holiday period.💫🍾

24/12/2025

22/12/2025

✨️HIV AND NUTRITION✨️

Good nutrition is crucial for people with HIV (PLHIV) to maintain a strong immune system , manage weight, improve tolerance to antiretroviral therapy (ART), and prevent opportunistic infections, requiring a balanced diet rich in proteins, carbs, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals, alongside strict food safety to combat weakened immunity and higher energy 💪 needs. Proper nutrition supports overall health, reduces disease progression, and enhances quality of life, with personalized guidance from a nutritionist often recommended 👌

Key 🔑 Nutritional Needs

🔅Macronutrients: Higher protein (lean meats , fish 🐟 dairy) for muscle/immune support, complex carbs (whole grains, fruits🍇, veg) for energy, and healthy fats (nuts, seeds, avocado🥑).
🔅Micronutrients: Essential for immune function; a varied diet covers most needs.
Higher Energy Needs: HIV can increase energy requirements by 10-30% or more, especially during illness.

🤔Why Nutrition Matters for HIV
📌Strengthens Immunity: Supports the immune system against infections.
📌Manages Weight: Prevents wasting and helps manage weight gain/loss issues.
📌Aids Medications: Helps the body process ART effectively.
📌Reduces Side Effects: Can alleviate nausea, vomiting, and other drug-related symptoms.
📌Improves Outcomes: Better nutrition leads to less disease progression, fewer complications, and better survival.

⛔️Food Safety is Critical

🟢Risk of Illness: A weakened immune system makes foodborne illnesses more dangerous.
🟢Safe Practices: Wash hands and produce thoroughly, cook food to safe temperatures, refrigerate promptly, and avoid cross-contamination.

💡Tips for Eating Well with HIV

⚡️Balanced Diet: Focus on fruits🍇, vegetables🥬, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy.
⚡️Small, Frequent Meals: Helpful for managing nausea and boosting intake.
⚡️Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids.
⚡️Consult a Professional: Work with a dietitian to create a personalized plan.

⚠️Special Considerations
Infants & Children :
WHO recommends avoiding breastfeeding if safe alternatives (formula) are available; otherwise, continued breastfeeding 🤱 with mixed feeding may be advised with strong support, but risks must be weighed.

18/12/2025

💥HIV in children💥
primarily comes from mothers during pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding, though older kids 🤔 can get it from sexual contact or infected blood/needles; symptoms range from frequent infections (thrush, pneumonia) and failure to thrive to developmental delays👩‍👦, but early diagnosis via virologic tests (not antibody tests) and consistent antiretroviral therapy (ART)💊 are crucial for managing the virus and preventing progression, with new guidelines focusing on early treatment.
⛔️Transmission

🔅Vertical Transmission: Most commonly from an HIV-positive mother to baby (in utero, during birth, or via breast milk).
🔅Horizontal Transmission: In older children/teens through sexual contact or exposure to infected blood/needles (less common).

⚠️Symptoms & Signs

🔴Early Signs: Swollen glands, persistent fever, chronic diarrhea, thrush, recurrent severe infections (pneumonia, ear infections), poor growth (failure to thrive).
🔴Specific Conditions: Pneumocystis pneumonia (P*P), lymphoid interstitial pneumonia (LIP).
🔴Developmental: Delays in reaching milestones, irritability, poor head growth.

💡Diagnosis

📌Virologic Testing (PCR): Essential for infants to detect HIV DNA/RNA early, as antibody tests can be falsely positive due to maternal antibodies.
📌Antibody Tests: Used for older children/adolescents, but repeat testing is needed.

🤔Treatment & Management

🚫Antiretroviral Therapy💊 (ART): Lifelong, effective treatment, but requires adherence.
🚫Adherence Aids: Timers, apps, reminders, and color-coded systems help children take daily medication.
🚫Monitoring: Regular check-ups, viral load, and CD4 counts are vital.
🚫Support: A strong support system and coordination with healthcare providers are key.

🚨Outlook 🚑

👌With early diagnosis and consistent treatment, children with HIV can live long, healthy lives, but global disparities remain, with many children still lacking access to care, especially in resource-limited settings. ☄️

15/12/2025

🔥HIV in pregnancy 🔥

means a pregnant person has HIV, but with early testing and consistent treatment (ART), transmission 🧑‍🍼 to the baby is reduced to under 1%, allowing for vaginal birth and healthy outcomes; treatment involves mother taking medication throughout pregnancy🤰, delivery, and breastfeeding, plus baby receiving medicine for 4-6 weeks after birth, preventing mother-to-child transmission via placenta, blood, or breast milk 🥛

⚠️Key Steps for Managing HIV in Pregnancy

➡️Get Tested Early: Routine HIV testing is recommended for all pregnant individuals at the first prenatal visit.
➡️Start ART Immediately: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) should begin as soon as possible to lower the viral load, as untreated HIV can lead to premature birth or low birth weight.
➡️Take Medication 💊 Consistently: Adherence to ART throughout pregnancy, labor, and delivery significantly lowers transmission risk.
➡️Consider Delivery Options: With an undetectable viral load, vaginal delivery is generally safe; a C-section may be recommended if the viral load is high.
➡️Medicate the Newborn: Babies receive HIV medicine for several weeks after birth (e.g., zidovudine) to prevent infection.

⛔️Transmission Risks

🔅Pregnancy: Through the placenta.
🔅Labor & Delivery: Exposure to blood and fluids.
🔅Breastfeeding: Through breast milk (though ART reduces this risk).

🚨Benefits of Treatment

💥Protects the pregnant person's health.

💥Reduces mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) to less than 1%.
💥Allows for a nearly normal pregnancy and delivery.

🚑Support
Support is available for managing mental health, stigma, and treatment adherence during this complex time. 👌

11/12/2025

🔥A Timeline of HIV Symptoms: How Does It Progress?👌

⚠️HIV symptoms often mimic the flu in the early stage (2-4 weeks post-infection) with fever, fatigue, rash, swollen glands, sore throat, and night sweats, but some people have no symptoms at all, while others develop severe issues later as the immune system weakens into AIDS, like chronic diarrhea, rapid weight loss, and opportunistic infections.
⛔️ Because these symptoms vary and overlap with many illnesses, testing is the only way to know for sure if you have HIV.

🚫Early (Acute) HIV Infection (Weeks 2-4 after exposure)
Flu-like🤧 symptoms: Fever, chills, muscle aches, joint pain, fatigue 😩, headaches.
Skin issues: Rash, mouth sores, canker sores.
Swollen lymph nodes: Especially in the neck, armpits, or groin.
Gastrointestinal issues: Diarrhea, vomiting🤢.
Other: Night sweats, sore throat, weight loss.

🚫Chronic HIV Infection (Clinical Latency)
The virus is active but multiplies ✖️ at low levels.
Many people have no symptoms during this long stage.
💥It can last years without treatment, but the virus is still transmissible.

🚫AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome)
This is the most severe stage, where the immune system is severely damaged.
Symptoms: Rapid weight loss, recurring fever, chronic diarrhea, severe fatigue😫, persistent cough , skin problems, and opportunistic infections (like thrush, pneumonia).
🤔Key takeaway🚑

▶️Many HIV symptoms are non-specific.
⚡️☄️Early testing is crucial because treatment can stop the virus from progressing.

⚠️If you think you've been exposed, get tested, as you might not feel sick⛔️💥.

08/12/2025

🔥Zambia has introduced two types of long-acting injectable💉 ARVs for HIV prevention (PrEP) and is planning a new treatment option.
Available Injectable ARVs for HIV Prevention

⚠️Cabotegravir Long-Acting (CAB-LA): This drug, administered every two months, was launched in February 2024, making Zambia one of the first African countries 😳 to roll it out outside of a clinical trial setting. It is available at selected health facilities nationwide,
➡️where it is provided free of charge to eligible HIV-negative individuals.
⚠️Lenacapavir (Sunlenca): Approved by the Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority (ZAMRA) in November 2025, this is a six-monthly (twice a year) injectable💉 ARV for HIV prevention. This option aims to offer greater convenience and privacy, further expanding prevention choices.

👌Upcoming Injectable ARV for HIV Treatment
The Ministry of Health in Zambia plans to introduce a long-acting injectable ARV for HIV treatment, which will also only require two doses per year, as early as January 2026.

⛔️Target Group: The initial rollout for the treatment injectable will target specific groups, particularly patients on third-line treatment who struggle with adherence to multiple daily tablets.

🤔Where to Access Them

Injectable PrEP is being distributed to selected health facilities where trained healthcare providers offer it free of charge. Initial distribution points for CAB-LA included:
*University Teaching Hospital (UTH)
*Mwanjuni Health Post in Chibombo
*Kitwe USAID Discover Hub
*Nakambala Urban Health Centre in Mazabuka
For specific information on where to access these options, individuals are encouraged to visit their nearest health facility.

04/12/2025

🔥HIV prevention in Zambia includes a combination of:

💥 biomedical interventions like condoms, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) (including new long-acting injectables), Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision, and Treatment as Prevention (TasP).
💥Behavioral strategies such as communication campaigns, counseling, and peer outreach are also used to empower at-risk groups, including young people, adolescent girls, and key populations.
👌efforts are focused on expanding access to testing, treatment, and prevention services, with a particular emphasis on vulnerable groups, as outlined in the Zambia HIV Prevention Roadmap 🤔 2025–2030.

⚠️Biomedical and clinical prevention
🔅PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis): Zambia is a leader in providing both oral and injectable PrEP, including the new long-acting injectable💉 cabotegravir (CAB-LA) which offers two months of protection per dose.
🔅Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC): This is a key component of the prevention strategy to reduce the risk of female-to-male HIV transmission.
🔅Treatment as Prevention (TasP): Ensuring people living with HIV are on and adhere to antiretroviral therapy (ART)💊 is a core prevention method, aiming for viral suppression and preventing transmission.
🔅Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT)👨‍🍼: Integrated HIV prevention and treatment services are provided through antenatal, family planning, and other sexual and reproductive health services to prevent transmission from mother to child.
🔅HIV testing🚑: Services are integrated into various care programs, including antenatal care and TB screening, to promote early detection and linkage to care.

⚠️Behavioral and community-based prevention
➡️Behavioral Change Communication.
➡️Peer outreach and community dialogue: These are used to empower young people, particularly girls, to make informed health decisions.
➡️Life-skills education: Focuses on empowering youth to navigate social factors that increase vulnerability to HIV.
➡️Support for key populations

01/12/2025

🔥World AIDS Day 2025 🚨

💥Early Warning Signs Of HIV Infection You Shouldn't Ignore 💥
World AIDS Day 2025 urges renewed focus on early detection. Acute HIV often looks like a flu🤧, yet many miss it. Know the signs, get tested early, and access treatment to protect your health and others.

Every year on December 1, World AIDS Day reminds us that HIV remains a global challenge, and in 2025 the theme is
⚠️"Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response."⛔️

🚑Early diagnosis and treatment are central to that transformation. The earlier HIV is recognised and treated, the better the outcomes: antiretroviral therapy💊 (ART) keeps people healthy, cuts the chance of onward transmission to almost zero, and prevents progression to AIDS. Yet many people miss the earliest warning signs because they are mild and resemble common illnesses.

🔄Recognising early symptoms and seeking prompt testing can change lives.
➡️Here's a clear, science-backed guide to the early warning signs of HIV infection, what they mean, and what to do if you suspect exposure.

🤔What Happens Right After Infection:
The Acute Phase
When a person is first infected, the virus multiplies rapidly. Within 2-4 weeks many people develop a short illness called acute HIV infection or seroconversion 🤒 These symptoms are caused by the immune system reacting to the virus, not by the later immune damage that leads to AIDS. Importantly, this early period is when HIV is most infectious, so prompt detection matters for both the individual and the community.

🚨Common Early Warning Signs Of HIV Infection

The early symptoms are nonspecific and can easily be mistaken for a bad cold, influenza or other viral infections. According to clinical reviews, the most frequently reported early symptoms include:

*Fever 🤒 often high and accompanied by chills.
*Fatigue 😩 and weakness, or extreme tiredness not explained by other causes.
*Muscle and joint pains, or body aches similar to flu.
*Sore throat and swollen lymph nodes like tender glands in the neck, armpits or groin.
*Skin rash , typically a red, spotty rash on the trunk.
*Headache , nausea, or diarrhoea, and gastrointestinal or neurological discomfort in some people.
Around 90% of people experience at least one symptom in the first month, but symptoms usually subside after a few weeks even without treatment, which is why many don't connect them to HIV.

26/11/2025

! WE ARE HIRING!
Job Title: Assistant Accountant / Debt Collector
Company: Medcop-Hilltop Hospital, Ndola, Zambia
Department: Finance
Reports To: Accountant
Employment Type: Part-Time
Job Purpose
To support the finance team with day-to-day accounting tasks while actively recover overdue accounts in order to maintain healthy cash flow and minimize bad-debt write-offs.
Key Responsibilities
Accounting Duties
Assist in maintaining accurate books of account (receivables, payables, general ledger)
Perform daily posting of receipts, payments, and journal entries in the accounting system (Pastel)
Prepare and process supplier and staff payments
Reconcile bank statements monthly
Assist with monthly stock takes and fixed-asset verification
Prepare VAT returns and assist with PAYE, NAPSA, and NHIMA statutory remittances
Assist in month-end and year-end closing procedures
Generate weekly/monthly aging reports and management accounts
File and maintain proper accounting records
Debt Collection Duties
Manage a portfolio of overdue customer accounts
Make daily collection calls, send demand letters, emails, and WhatsApp/SMS reminders
Negotiate payment plans and settlements with debtors
Liaise with external debt collectors and lawyers when accounts become delinquent
Update collection notes and promise-to-pay records in the system daily
Achieve monthly collection targets and keep bad-debt provision below set threshold
Recommend accounts for legal action or write-off after exhausting all avenues
Requirements and Qualifications
Full Grade 12 Certificate
Diploma in Accountancy, or Degree in Accountancy/Finance from a recognized institution
At least 1–2 years combined experience in accounting and credit control/debt collection
Proven track record of recovering overdue debts (references required)
Excellent knowledge of Zambian tax laws (VAT, Income Tax, NAPSA)
Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel and at least one accounting package
Good command of English and Bemba
Key Competencies
High level of integrity and honesty when handling cash and cheques
Strong negotiation and persuasion skills
Ability to work under pressure and meet strict deadlines
Assertive yet polite and professional telephone and field manner
Analytical mindset with attention to detail
Team player with good interpersonal skills
How to Apply
Send your CV, cover letter, and copies of academic/professional certificates to:
info@medcop-hilltophospital.com with the subject line “Assistant Accountant & Debt Collector Application – [Your Name]” by 10th December 2025. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Send a message to learn more