By 
Zambia has commenced the implementation of the STEPS Survey, a globally standardised surveillance approach developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) to measure non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and their key risk factors.
According to the latest WHO data, NCDs caused at least 43 million deaths worldwide in 2021, accounting for 75 percent of all non-pandemic-related deaths.
Speaking during a media briefing in Lusaka on Monday,Professor Roma Chilengi, Director General of the Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI), said the country was undertaking the survey in response to the rapidly increasing burden of NCDs, which have become the leading cause of illness and death.
Chilengi said the four most deadly types of NCDs include cardiovascular diseases, responsible for 19 million deaths; cancers, accounting for 10 million deaths; chronic respiratory diseases, which cause 4 million deaths; and diabetes, responsible for more than 2 million deaths annually.
He noted that the impact of these diseases was particularly severe in developing regions. Globally, 18 million people die prematurely from NCDs before the age of 70, with 82 percent of such deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries.
“In the WHO African Region, NCDs are increasingly becoming the leading cause of death. They accounted for 37 percent of all deaths in the region in 2019, up from 24 percent in 2000,” Professor Chilengi said.
He added that an estimated 1.6 million people aged 30 to 70 die prematurely from major NCDs in Africa each year, representing 63 percent of all NCD-related deaths on the continent.
Chilengi said Zambia reflected these troubling global and regional trends. NCDs account for approximately 28 to 29 percent of all deaths nationwide, placing increased pressure on the healthcare system and the economy.
Read More: Groups urge government to act on tobacco control amid rise of non-communicable diseases
He noted that the prevalence of specific conditions was “alarmingly high,” citing hypertension rates of up to 35 percent in urban areas and about 23 percent among adults in rural areas.
WHO estimates also indicate an 11 percent obesity prevalence and a 13 percent diabetes prevalence among Zambian adults.
Beyond the human toll, Chilengi stressed the economic consequences of NCDs, stating that Zambia lost approximately K2.8 billion annually in treating tobacco-related illnesses alone.
He explained that the last STEPS Survey was conducted in 2017, and given the country’s rapid economic transitions, urbanisation, and changing lifestyles, updated and nationally representative data was urgently needed.
“This information will guide targeted prevention and control efforts, ensuring resources are allocated where they are most needed,” he said.
The upcoming STEPS Survey will be implemented from April 20 to June 30, 2026, covering all ten provinces. The Ministry of Health (Zambia) is leading the exercise, with coordination provided by ZNPHI.
Approximately 5,762 participants—adults aged 18 to 69—will be included, representing the demographic group most affected by NCD risk factors.
WARNING! All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express permission from ZAMBIA MONITOR.
Comments