A TOP Gynaecologist at Lusaka’s Pearl of Health hospital has found himself at the centre of grave allegations of professional misconduct that involve him attempting to have sex with a married woman who went to the facility for treatment.
Dr Reward Sibanda, a married man himself, is accused of coercing Alice Makina, a 31-year-old Lusaka resident into a sexual relationship when she went to seek treatment at Pearl of Health hospital, located on Bwinjimfumu road in Lusaka’s Rhodes Park area.
The female patient reported the matter to Pearl of Health hospital management, the Zambia Medical Association (ZMA) and the Health Professional Council of Zambia (HPCZ).
When contacted for a comment on the matter, Pearl of Health hospital chose to remain silent while HPCZ confirmed receiving the complaint but ignored questions on how the issue was handled and concluded.
The victim, Alice and her family accuse the HPCZ of dragging its feet on the matter because its main interest is to protect Dr Sibanda from facing the consequences of his alleged misconduct.
She complains that repeated follow ups to HPCZ on its decisions on the matter have not received any plausible response.
In July last year, Alice wrote Pearl of Health a demand letter that catalogued the accusations against Dr Sibanda.
Through her lawyer, Benjamin Kasweka, the victim explained that she encountered Dr Sibanda, a Gynaecologist at Pearl of Health when she was pregnant at the time.
According to her, this was between May 2022 and February 2025.
In the demand letter written by Kwaseka of LM Chikuta Legal Practitioners, Alice alleged that during a scheduled appointment for the insertion of an intrauterine device (IUD), Dr. Sibanda expressed his undying desire for a relationship beyond the typical doctor-patient arrangement, conveying personal affection towards her, which made her uncomfortable.
She further stated that during the procedure, the doctor removed the wrapper intended to cover her unmentionables, leaving her completely naked.
“He insisted that I spread my legs wider and solicited sexual intercourse prior to commencing the procedure,” she stated.
According to the documents, when Alice tried to resist, the doctor allegedly attempted to reassure her by saying she needed not to fear pregnancy as he had undergone a vasectomy and could therefore not impregnate her.
“She opposed him, reminding your Dr. Sibanda of the professional nature of their relationship, her status as a married woman and also that she was there as a patient for the Hospital,” read the document.
She alleged that the doctor then proceeded with the procedure while making inappropriate remarks and touching and rubbing her sensitive organ without her consent, which later induced a state of tonic immobility.
“He touched and rubbed my clitoris up and down without my consent, inducing a state of tonic immobility, ” she reported.
Alice alleged that Dr. Sibanda also falsely claimed she had pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), supposedly caused by her husband’s extramarital affairs, in an attempt to manipulate her emotionally.
“He falsely alleged that I had severe pelvic inflammatory disease, which, according to him, was caused by my husband’s possible extramarital affairs, intended to induce mistrust towards my husband and make me reconsider my refusal of his advances.”
Alice accused the hospital of negligence for failing to provide a chaperone, which they say would have protected their client from the alleged predatory behaviour.
In the demand letter, the law firm demanded that the hospital and Dr. Sibanda pay K 3.5 million within 14 days for trauma, mental anguish and other damages caused on their client.
The letter warned that failure to comply would result in “proceedings to obtain judgment requiring you to pay the sum demanded plus interest and costs that had started to accrue.”
Several calls and texts by Kalemba to Dr Sibanda who still remains a staff of Pearl of Health went to comment on the matter went unattended.
In a separate interview, Zambia Medical Association Secretary General, Dr Innocent Chirwa said the association was aware of the issue which it handled briefly in its initial stages before the complainant escalated the matter with HPCZ.
Dr Chirwa said he was not aware at what stage the issue had reached because the association had not been briefed.
When asked if it was normal for a complaint of professional misconduct to to take over a year in resolving, Dr Chirwa said some cases my take long to resolve because some times witnesses may be unavailable.
“But it is the hope of the association that cases like this shouldn’t drag. They should be resolved quickly. Even for the doctor, how do you practice when you are going through all these things. You should look at it both ways, the one who is accusing the doctor and the doctor involved in the matter. How does the doctor concentrate,” said Dr Chirwa.
“So, it is in the interest of both parties that the cases are expedited.”
Meanwhile, attempts to hear from Dr Sibanda on the matter were unsuccessful as he ignored phone calls and did not respond to WhatsApp and SMS messages sent to him seeking his comments over the allegations.
Kalemba, March 17, 2026
