On 11 July 2019, Zambia commemorated the World No Tobacco Day to advocate for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption and to engage stakeholders across multiple sectors in the tobacco control. The 2019 World No Tobacco Day campaign whose theme is “Tobacco and Lung Health” is specifically meant to create public awareness about the fundamental role lungs play for the health and well-being of all people and the negative impact that tobacco has on people’s lung health. The Ministry of Health worked in collaboration with the WHO Country Office, the Ministry of General Education and various stakeholders to conduct the campaign through the support of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control 2030 Project in Zambia. (WHO FCTC 2030).

In a statement to mark the occasion, the World Health Organization Country Representative, Dr. Nathan Bakyaita said that the cross-cutting theme of ‘Tobacco and Lung Health’ had implications for global and national efforts to control Non Communicable Diseases, TB and air pollution.  ‘Tobacco kills over 7 million people every year and is a major risk factor for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)’ he said.  Dr. Bakyaita also said that approximately 71% of deaths globally were due to NCDs, with 80% of the deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. He recognized the important leadership and stewardship roles that the Ministry of Health played in mobilizing and engaging various sectors and key stakeholders to implement the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO/FCTC). He urged all Zambians to make tobacco control a top priority by supporting the full implementation of the WHO FCTC in order for the country to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of a one-third reduction in NCD premature mortality by 2030.

At the same occasion, the United States Ambassador to Zambia, Mr. Daniel Foote, gave a testimony of how he quit tobacco after a lifelong addiction since the age of 13. Mr. Foote said that he often experienced health problems and that he had finally quit tobacco use about 3 and a half years ago after undergoing various quit processes including counselling and medication. The ambassador called on all the non-smokers to stay away from tobacco and for smokers to quit because tobacco use also deprived an average Zambian smoker at least 20% of income and therefore contributed to high poverty levels.

Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Health, Dr. Kennedy Malama said the death toll due to tobacco in Zambia was approximately ZMW 2.8 billion, an equivalent of 1.2 % of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Dr. Malama emphasised the fact that the fight against tobacco required concerted efforts from various sectors to curb its negative impact. He said that the Ministry of Health had a key responsibility to protect public health and save lives through the enactment of the Tobacco Products and Nicotine Products Control Bill.

The Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of General Education, Mr. Jobbicks Kalumba urged families to be vigilant on activities that their children engaged in and to assist them grow up with good morals and tobacco free. He said that the ministry was a key institution which would complement families in ensuring that young people grew up with desired values.

The World No Tobacco Day was also characterized by song and drama performances, poetry and school debates. The school debates took place from the last week of May 2019 through to July 2019.  In attendance at the event were representatives from government ministries and departments, community based organisations, faith based organisations, research and academic institutions, civil society, non-governmental organisations, the media, teachers and pupils from various schools and the general public.