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Zambians are dependant on alcohol, observes Sylwander

Zambians are dependant on alcohol, observes Sylwander
By Masuzyo Chakwe in Cape Town, South Africa
Monday April 21, 2008 [04:00]

UNICEF country representative Lotta Sylwander has observed that many Zambians are dependant on alcohol. And Sylwander said alcohol abuse is an underestimated obstacle in the fight against AIDS, early marriages, pregnancies and general health issues. In an interview during the Count Down to 2015 conference for maternal, newborns and child survival on Friday, Sylwander said many Zambians depended on alcohol every day.

“But I have never heard anyone talking about alcoholism in Zambia. In western countries, yes, it is equally a very big problem but in Zambia it is like it is swept under the carpet,” she said.

She said alcohol was abused when people over drunk it. Sylwander said this unfortunately happened everywhere in Zambia, especially among the poor people.

“A person intoxicated with alcohol does not care what actions they take, it can be defiling a child or forcing themselves on a child who later becomes pregnant because they don’t wear a condom. I have never seen anything serious dealing with alcohol in Zambia and the thing we have to think about is how we can deal with it especially when it comes to teenage pregnancies and AIDS,” she said.

She suggested putting in place legislation to prevent bars and drinking places from selling alcohol to young people.

“I live near Kalingalinga and I pass through bars, you find very young girls there getting intoxicated. We also need to have an awareness campaign of what alcohol can do not only to young girls but for everyone,” she said.

She also said making traditional leaders aware of early marriages was going to make them stop such relationships.

Labels: BEER, LOTTA SYLWANDER, UNICEF

posted by MrK @ 10:12 PM