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As Alcohol Abuse Rises in Zambia, Authorities Pledge to Enforce Regulation
February 21, 2024
CategoryAfrica Central
LanguageEnglish
Transcript/Script((INTRO))
[[The World Health Organization says that in Zambia over 70% of men and over 30% of women are drinking too much, too often.Some nonprofit organizations are intervening to help those on the path to recovery from alcohol addiction.Kathy Short reports from Lusaka,Zambia.]]
VIDEO:Bellington walking into Serenity Wellness Center,looking at brochures))
((NARRATOR))
Forty-nine-year-old businessman Belington Shanzi started drinking beer casually as a teenager, but he says he quickly became addicted to alcohol.
((Belington Shanzi, Businessman)) ((Male, in English))
“My family and relationships were broken because I did not have time for anyone. I am a married man.I spent little time with my own siblings.You shun everyone,your budget takes a hit,and in the end,your life is destroyed.You become selfish.”
((NARRATOR))
Bellington has just completed a three-month alcohol recovery program at Serenity Wellness Center, which focuses on providing medicine and therapeutic solutions. The program costs $245 per month, over a 3-month period. This price tag is beyond the reach of most Zambians where the average salary is between 300 and 350 dollars per month.
The fees cater for logistics like food, medicines and administrative costs for alcohol recovery participants during the program.
For those who cannot afford it, or are also grappling with mental health issues, the center offers some free services.
Kapambwe Chikontwe is Serenity’s founder and executive director. He says part of the problem is that alcohol is cheap and easy to get in Zambia.
((Kapambwe Chikontwe,Serenity Wellness Center Executive Director)) ((Male, in English))
“Almost every shopping mall has alcohol in every shop so people have this opportunity where they are able to buy alcohol at any point, every small instance, every corner has a spot where alcohol is being sold.”
((NARRATOR))
Chikontwe says that an average of seven people turn up for help at Serenity every day, and he says his center is helping about 60% of the people that go through their program while 40 % relapse.
Thirty-eight-year-old Musonda Kahenya also says he has completed his alcohol recovery program. He has been sober for a few months now.
((Musonda Kahenya, Businessman)) ((Male, in English))
“Because of the heavy drinking,I started missing days at work losing jobs then later on started having a lot of bills in bars yeah you have a drink that you can’t afford so it became quite a burden especially on my family members.”
((NARRATOR))
In 2018, the country enacted a national alcohol policy that sets opening hours for bars and restricts sales in markets and shopping malls.
It prohibits consumption by people under the age of 18. But Chikontwe says that policy isn’t being enforced and points to media reports indicating that 42% of alcohol consumers are between the ages of 13 and 15.
Chikontwe says his organization is working closely with the government to urgently fine-tune the national alcohol policy.
(Kapambwe Chikontwe, Serenity Wellness Center Executive Director)) ((Male,in English))
“Like any other policies. We need to sensitize the population first on the existence of this policy but as well as the content."
((NARRATOR))
Zambia’s Health Minister Sylvia Masebo told VOA that they recognize the problem and says the government will prosecute those ignoring the national alcohol policy.
But activists say that’s not enough and are calling for tougher measures like fast-tracking the prosecution of offenders to send a clear message.
((Kathy Short, VOA News, Lusaka, Zambia.))
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