VICE PRESIDENT CONCERNED ABOUT RISE IN ILLICIT ALCOHOL ABUSE IN ZAMBIA

 

Vice President Mutale Nalumango has expressed concern over the rise in illicit alcohol abuse in Zambia with statistics indicating that over 70 percent of alcohol consumed in the country is illicit.

Speaking during the launch of the Coalition Against Illicit Alcohol Zambia in Lusaka today, Mrs. Nalumango says it is saddening that illicit alcohol consumption has reached epidemic proportions in Zambia and poses a great threat to health, well-being and productivity of the nation.

She is concerned that that most of the illicit alcohol consumed in Zambia is smuggled into the country and distilled by unregistered persons in unsanitary environments.

The Vice President also notes that the illicit alcohol is made out of poisonous substances such as industrial chemicals including substances such as shoe polish, methylated spirit and many others.

She says this has led to health complications highlighting that more than 7 percent of outpatients in hospitals are due to alcohol abuse.

And Coalition Co-Chairperson Professor Myriam Sidibe says the surge in illicit alcohol intake in Zambia has become a crisis and that over 60 percent of teenagers have consumed illicit alcohol before they turn 17 years old.

Meanwhile, Local Government and Rural Development Minister Garry Nkombo says the fight against illicit alcohol should include community policing as most time, it is the communities that protect the brewers.

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