Zambia’s Future Doctors: Why Indian Students Are Choosing Affordable MBBS Abroad — And What We Can Learn

By Mwansa Chisanga

While our own health system struggles, India’s brightest young minds are packing their bags and heading overseas to become doctors. And they are doing it for a fraction of what it costs back home. In 2026, the message is clear: if you want a quality medical degree without being bled dry by fees, you look beyond your borders. For Zambians watching this, the lesson is simple — we need to wake up and take control of our own future.

For thousands of Indian students, getting into a government medical college is a near-impossible dream. Private colleges there can cost up to 1.5 crore rupees — that is over 3 million Zambian kwacha. So,