Groups urge government to act on tobacco control amid rise of non-communicable diseases

The Zambia Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance (ZANOCODA) has raised concern over government’s perceived inaction on tobacco control as the country faces a growing non-communicable disease (NCD) crisis.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), NCDs caused 35 percent of all deaths in Zambia in 2021, including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory illnesses.

Tobacco use alone accounts for over 7,000 deaths annually and costs Zambia more than K2.8 billion each year in healthcare and lost productivity, reports say.

In a statement issued in Lusaka on Tuesday, ZANOCODA Chairperson, Professor Fastone Goma, described these as preventable deaths and avoidable costs, noting that NCDs were increasingly affecting adolescents and young adults.

“What is even more alarming is that these diseases are now increasingly affecting our younger population. The age of onset has dropped dramatically, with adolescents and young adults now presenting with hypertension, diabetes, and even stroke,” Goma said.

Goma criticized the unregulated growth of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), including e-cigarettes, shisha, and vaping products, which are aggressively marketed to youth.

“These products are not harmless alternatives but are nicotine-laced accelerants of addiction and disease,” he said.

He urged the government to act ahead of the 11th Conference of the Parties (COP11) to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), noting that Zambia ratified the convention in 2008 but has yet to domesticate it through legislation.

Similarly, Tobacco Control Consortium of Zambia (TCCZ) Chairperson Albert Phiri cited surveys showing high tobacco exposure among youth.

“Nearly three years after Cabinet’s in-principle approval of the Tobacco Control Bill in January 2023, the Bill has not been forwarded to Parliament for enactment. This is not a delay. It is a big wound on the soul of our nation,” Phiri said.

He called on President Hakainde Hichilema to publicly clarify his position and expedite the Bill’s passage, warning that continued inaction allows the tobacco industry unchecked access to Zambia’s youth.

“The latest deferral in July 2025 did not just stall a bill but stalled hope. While policy pages remain untouched, the pages of funeral registers fill,” Phiri said, recalling recent youth protests over tobacco-related deaths.

Phiri urged urgent government intervention to protect children and reduce the escalating burden of tobacco-related NCDs.

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