THE VETERINARY ASSOCIATION OF ZAMBIA
(Established by Act No. 45 of 2010)
Complaint Handling at a Glance
Quick-reference guide · companion to the VAZ Complaint Handling Policy and Procedure, v1.0
The Workflow
Six steps from complaint to close- 1Log itLogged in the Complaints Register with a reference number.Same business day
- 2AcknowledgeSecretariat acknowledges in writing, with the reference number.3 business days
- 3Assign & tierSecretary assigns the responsible office and sets the tier.1 business day after acknowledgement
- 4InvestigateFacts verified against the membership register, professional register, receipt book or portal log.Within the tier timeframe
- 5RespondWritten outcome and reasons issued to the complainant.See Escalation Ladder
- 6Close itComplaints Register updated with the outcome and date resolved.Same day as the response
Escalation Ladder
TIER 1Secretariat
TIER 2Secretary / PRO
TIER 3President / EC
5 business days
10 business days
Next EC meeting or 30 days
Not satisfied? Escalate in writing within 14 days. A Tier 3 appeal to the President is decided by the Executive Committee, and that decision is final.
Issuance Targets
10
VAZ membership certificate, card & number
business days of approval + full payment
15
VCZ registration certificate, licence or permit
business days of Council approval
10
Renewal certificate or licence
business days of renewal payment
Member notified within 2 business days of issuance. A missed target is flagged to the applicant before it lapses — without waiting for a complaint.
What Counts as a Complaint
Certificate / card issuance
Professional registration
Application or renewal delay
Digital platform (Portal / website)
Payment or subscription
Staff or officer conduct
How to Lodge a Complaint
In person / phone
Kwacha House, Rm 13 · +260 211 238720
registrar@vaz.org.zm
Certificates, cards, registration & renewals
secretary@vaz.org.zm
General complaints & membership records
admin@vaz.org.zm
Members Portal & website faults
Guiding Principles
Accessibility
Fairness & impartiality
Timeliness
Transparency
Confidentiality
Non-retaliation
FULL POLICY: VAZ COMPLAINT HANDLING POLICY AND PROCEDURE, FINAL VERSION 1.0
Issued by the Office of the President, VAZ · Questions about this page: Office of the Secretary