Medics appeal to HH to sign Tobacco Control Bill into law
Nation Reporter
Medics appeal to HH to sign Tobacco Control Bill into law
Content Type: Free
BY DORCAS CHIKONKOMENE
THE Resident Doctors Association of Zambia (RDAZ) has called on President Hakainde Hichilema to urgently assent to the Tobacco Control Bill No. 40 of 2025, describing it as a lifesaving piece of legislation.
RDAZ President Dr. Paul Chibwe says the Bill will help reduce tobacco-related illnesses and deaths while easing pressure on Zambia’s already overstretched healthcare system.
Dr. Chibwe said tobacco has remained one of the country’s leading preventable causes of disease and death, claiming an estimated 7,000 lives annually and contributing to heart disease, cancer, tuberculosis and pregnancy complications.
He said despite contributing only about 0.4 percent to the country’s GDP, tobacco costs Zambia an estimated K2.8 billion every year in healthcare expenses and lost productivity, far outweighing its economic benefits.
Dr. Chibwe has since urged President Hakainde Hichilema to sign the Bill without delay, saying its enactment will protect young people from nicotine addiction, strengthen tobacco control measures and save thousands of lives.
