Silent Syphilis: Zambia Sounds Alarm as STI Cases Surpass Half a Million

 

By Alain Kabinda

A person can feel healthy, watch the symptoms disappear and assume the danger has passed. But with syphilis, the silence can be deceptive.

The infection can remain in the body long after visible symptoms have disappeared, potentially progressing to serious complications affecting the brain, nervous system, eyes, ears, heart and other organs if it is not diagnosed and treated.

That silent nature of syphilis is now at the centre of a renewed public health campaign in Zambia, where authorities are confronting a much wider sexually transmitted infection (STI) challenge.

The Ministry of Health says Zambia recorded more than half a million STI cases last year, a figure it says represents a significant increase compared with previous years.

The numbers have prompted Government and the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Zambia to launch the Stop Syphilis Campaign, with a message that prevention and treatment must move beyond health facilities and into communities.

Presenting the finding Ministry of Health National STI Coordinator Dr. Irene Bwalya said the statistics are a warning that the country cannot afford to simply watch STI infections increase.

“We are dealing with an epidemic. We can't afford to sit and watch these numbers increase,” Dr. Bwalya said.

Dr. Bwalya says the Ministry has improved testing among pregnant women following the introduction and scale-up of dual HIV and syphilis testing in antenatal clinics.

According to Ministry data presented during the campaign launch, Lusaka, Central, Copperbelt and Southern provinces continue to record some of the highest numbers of newly diagnosed STIs.

And preliminary figures for the first half of 2026 suggest that Zambia has not yet managed to bring the situation under control.

And AHF Zambia Country Programmes Manager Dr. Webster Walubita, said that the greatest danger posed by syphilis is that people may not realise they have it.

“This can be silent. Symptoms can disappear, and yet it is there,” he said.

Dr. Walubita said AHF's experience at its wellness centres demonstrates why active testing is necessary.

AHF operates three wellness centres—two in Lusaka and one on the Copperbelt—and reports that approximately 9 percent of people tested for syphilis at its facilities have been biologically confirmed positive.

If people are only tested after symptoms become obvious, some infections will inevitably remain undetected.

“If we wait only for people to show up with symptoms, we are definitely going to miss it,” Dr. Walubita said.

Untreated syphilis can progress and affect the nervous system, eyes, ears and cardiovascular system. Some patients can develop visual impairment, hearing problems and other serious complications.

Yet, unlike many diseases that are difficult to treat, syphilis can be diagnosed and cured. That is what makes the continuing burden particularly concerning for health authorities.

An untreated pregnant woman can transmit the infection to her unborn child, potentially resulting in miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, neonatal death or congenital syphilis.

Children born with congenital syphilis can experience complications involving their bones, brain, hearing and other organs.

She further said that it is the continued increase in congenital syphilis.

For a disease that is both preventable and curable, the continued impact on newborn children presents a significant challenge.

“No child should be in life burdened by a disease that is curable, and a disease that the nation has power to eliminate,” Dr. Bwlaya said.

The Ministry says STI infections are particularly affecting the 18 to 25-year-old age group.

Dr. Bwalya says several factors are contributing to the trend, including early sexual activity among young girls, limited condom use and delayed treatment seeking.

Challenges in partner notification can also lead to reinfection, while poverty and transactional sex are among the broader socioeconomic factors identified by the Ministry.

In many communities, sexual health remains difficult to discuss openly, leaving young people to obtain information from friends and social media. And Zambia's progress in HIV prevention could also be affected if STIs are left behind.

Dr. Bwalya says STIs can increase susceptibility to HIV infection and facilitate HIV transmission.

“We've done very well with our HIV prevention programme, but if we leave STIs behind, STIs have been shown to increase susceptibility as well as transmission of HIV,” she said.

Speaking on behalf of Permanent Secretary for Technical Services Dr. Kennedy Lishimpi, Director of Clinical Care and Diagnostic Services Dr. Lisulo Walubita said Zambia needed to move health promotion from conventional hospital settings into communities.

He said the campaign's messages should be simple enough for ordinary community members to understand.

The objective is not merely to increase the number of people who know about syphilis, but to make testing, prevention and treatment part of everyday community health services.

Dr. Lisulo said partnerships with organisations such as AHF Zambia were helping Government take that response closer to communities.

AHF Zambia has committed significant resources to its community-based sexual health response.

The organisation says it has invested close to US$6 million since 2024 in its three wellness centres, supporting infrastructure, healthcare workers, diagnostics, commodities, outreach, testing, treatment and linkage to care.

During the Stop Syphilis Campaign, AHF plans to test up to 1,500 people for syphilis and other STIs, provide HIV testing to 2,500 people, distribute more than 100,000 condoms and reach over 20,000 people with prevention and treatment information.

But Dr. Walubita says the campaign should not be judged simply by how many people attend testing sites.

People who test positive must receive treatment. Their partners need to be reached. Pregnant women need continued screening and treatment. Communities need ongoing access to condoms and accurate information.

These include improving the supply of testing kits and treatment commodities, training healthcare workers in syphilis case management, improving data systems and integrating STI services into existing health platforms.

The government is also strengthening STI services in youth-friendly spaces and using the ECHO virtual platform to provide technical support to healthcare workers.

Provincial STI and data teams are being brought together to analyse the numbers and develop responses tailored to the circumstances of individual provinces.

A congenital syphilis elimination plan is also being developed, while new STI guidelines and an operational plan are being rolled out.

The Ministry is calling on healthcare workers to integrate syphilis screening into antenatal clinics, outpatient departments and community outreach programmes.

For AHF Zambia, the real measure of the Stop Syphilis Campaign will not be the banners, roadshows or launch events.

And whether a pregnant woman is screened early enough to prevent an infection from reaching her unborn child.

That is why both Government and AHF Zambia are calling for the campaign to become part of a sustained national response rather than a one-week intervention , Zambia's more than half a million STI cases provide the scale of the challenge and the 9 percent biologically confirmed syphilis positivity reported by AHF's wellness centres provides another warning.

And the continued increase in congenital syphilis gives the crisis its most vulnerable face—the unborn and newborn child. The country now has a disease that can be detected, treated and cured, but health authorities say the tools will only work if people can access them. For Zambia, the fight against syphilis is therefore not simply about treating an infection.

It is about breaking the silence around sexual health, taking services into communities and ensuring that a disease capable of remaining hidden does not continue causing preventable harm.

 

 New Occupational Health Law Extends Protection to All Workers

By Alain Kabinda                                                                                                                                     

Zambia has expanded Occupational Health and Safety protection to workers across all sectors of the economy following the enactment of the Occupational Health and Safety Act No. 16 of 2025.

Ministry of Labour and Social Security Permanent Secretary Zachariah Luhanga said the new legislation broadens occupational health and safety protection beyond the mining sector to cover all sectors of the Zambian economy.

                                                         Ps. Zachariah Luhanga

Mr. Luhanga said every worker, regardless of the sector in which they operate, deserves to work in an environment that is safe, healthy and conducive to productivity.

He was speaking during a stakeholder engagement on the implementation of the new Act and the development of regulations and sector-specific guidelines.

Mr. Luhanga said the new Act replaced the previous occupational health and safety legislation and was assented to by President Hakainde Hichilema on December 23, 2025.

He said stakeholder consultation was critical in developing regulations that would effectively support implementation of the legislation.

Mr. Luhanga said Government had been guided to ensure that legislation was properly subjected to stakeholder consultation before implementation.

“Successful implementation of the new Act cannot be achieved by Government alone,” he said.

Mr. Luhanga said employers, workers, trade unions, industry associations, professional bodies and other stakeholders all had a role to play in ensuring effective implementation of the law.

He said occupational health and safety was also important to Zambia’s economic development ambitions because a healthy workforce was necessary for increased productivity.

Mr. Luhanga said workers needed to be physically, psychologically, socially and emotionally healthy to effectively contribute to national development.

He further said the new legislation extended protection to vulnerable groups operating within the formal sector, describing the provision as an important development in Zambia’s occupational health and safety framework.

Meanwhile, Occupational Health and Safety Institute (OHSI) Director General Dr Martha Chakulimba said the mining sector remained an important area of focus because of the occupational risks associated with mining activities.

                                                            Dr Martha Chakulimba

Dr Chakulimba said the stakeholder engagement brought together representatives from the Chamber of Mines and the Federation of Small-Scale Miners.

She described the Chamber of Mines as one of the more mature sectors in occupational health and safety, saying other sectors could learn from its experience.

However, Dr Chakulimba said small-scale mining continued to face serious occupational health and safety challenges.

She said physical hazards such as rockfalls remained a concern, while the use of toxic substances, including mercury in gold processing, presented emerging health risks.

Dr Chakulimba said Zambia had made progress in workplace safety, particularly in established mining operations, but more attention was needed on occupational health and safety in small-scale mining.

She said the situation required action to ensure that people engaged in mining activities were adequately protected.

Dr Chakulimba also cited international statistics indicating that about three million workers die globally each year from work-related causes.

She said the figures demonstrated the scale of the occupational health and safety challenge and the need for concerted action.

Mr. Luhanga said Government was supporting the Occupational Health and Safety Institute as it expands its physical presence across the country.

He said preparations were underway to establish additional offices, while Government was also considering stronger collaboration between OHSI and the Ministry of Health.

He said accredited public health facilities could complement existing occupational health services and help bring services closer to workers.

Mr. Luhanga said sector-specific regulations and guidelines would help address the different occupational risks found in industries such as agriculture, manufacturing, construction, transport, banking, retail and mining.

He urged stakeholders to continue participating actively in the consultation process to ensure that the regulations were practical, inclusive and effective.

He said the ultimate objective was to strengthen prevention, reduce workplace injuries and diseases, improve compliance and contribute to sustainable economic development.

 

“GBV Cases Drop, But Sexual Abuse of Children Rises”

By Alain Kabinda

For every number recorded in Zambia’s Gender-Based Violence statistics, there is a human story—someone who experienced fear, violence, intimidation, neglect or abuse.

That reality is reflected in the latest figures from the Zambia Police Service, which show that while the country recorded a significant decline in reported Gender-Based Violence (GBV) cases during the fourth quarter of 2025, women, girls and children continued to bear the greatest burden.

Between September 1 and December 31, 2025, police recorded 9,707 GBV cases countrywide, compared with 12,378 cases during the same period in 2024.

The figures represent a reduction of 2,671 cases, or 21.6 percent.

Of the 9,707 cases, 6,796 were criminal, while 2,911 were classified as non-criminal. And although the overall number fell, sexual abuse cases moved in the opposite direction, increasing by 5.6 percent.

Women and girls accounted for the overwhelming majority of victims recorded during the quarter.

Of the 9,707 victims, 7,682, or 79.1 percent, were female, while 2,025, representing 20.9 percent, were male.

The figures become even more concerning when children are considered.

A total of 2,716 children were reported to have been abused during the period.

Among these, 2,027 were victims of criminal GBV cases—comprising 1,571 girls and 456 boys.

The numbers illustrate how gender and age intersect in the country's GBV problem, with girls particularly exposed to sexual and other forms of abuse.

Behind the statistics are children whose experiences can affect their education, relationships, psychological wellbeing and future prospects.

Geographically, Lusaka recorded the highest number of criminal GBV cases during the quarter.

The province recorded 1,483 cases, accounting for 22 percent of the national total.

Luapula followed with 1,055 cases, while Western recorded 849 and Copperbelt 771.

Eastern recorded 592 cases and Central 547.

Southern had 404 cases, Muchinga 394, North-Western 359 and Northern 224.

At divisional level, TAZARA recorded the lowest number with 50 cases, followed by Airport Division with 70.

The differences between provinces, however, do not necessarily mean that violence is more prevalent in areas with higher reported figures.

Reporting behaviour, population size, access to police services, awareness of GBV and the availability of support mechanisms can all influence recorded cases.

Physical abuse remained the most commonly reported form of GBV.

Police recorded 3,689 physical abuse cases, only slightly lower than the 3,718 cases recorded during the fourth quarter of 2024.

Of these, 3,076 involved Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm (OABH).

Lusaka accounted for the largest share, recording 733 OABH cases.

Copperbelt followed with 328 cases, Western with 314, Eastern with 300 and Central with 292.

Muchinga recorded 269 cases, Luapula 239, North-Western 211, Southern 187 and Northern 165.

The figures also included 29 murder cases, compared with 36 during the same period in 2024, as well as eight attempted murder cases.

These cases demonstrate the potentially fatal consequences of violence that may begin with less severe forms of abuse.

Economic abuse accounted for 1,784 cases during the quarter, with many involving failure or neglect to provide necessities of life.

This is a fictionalised composite survivor account created from the forms of Gender-Based Violence reflected in the Zambia Police Service’s fourth-quarter 2025 statistics. It does not represent a specific individual.

Speaking to one of the resident by the of Chanda (Not Real name) in Lusaka by Daily News said that For years, “home” was supposed to mean safety.

For one woman, however, home became the place where she learned to live with fear.

At first, they appeared to be ordinary arguments—raised voices, accusations and words that left her wondering what she had done wrong.

“I started changing the way I behaved because I was always trying to avoid another argument,” she recalls.

She stopped speaking about certain things. She became careful about what she said and when she said it.

One of the most difficult parts of her experience was recognising that what was happening to her was abuse.

There were no obvious signs to people outside the home. She could go to work. She could meet people. She could smile.

She also faced financial difficulties that made leaving the relationship more complicated.

Without enough money to immediately establish an independent home and meet basic needs, the decision to leave was not as simple as outsiders might imagine.

“I kept thinking about what would happen if I left,” she says.

That uncertainty kept her in the relationship longer than she wanted.

Her experience reflects one of the less visible dimensions of GBV: economic abuse.

According to Zambia Police Service statistics, 1,784 cases of economic abuse were recorded during the fourth quarter of 2025, many involving failure or neglect to provide necessities of life.

She worried that people would ask why she had stayed, why she had not left earlier or why she had allowed the situation to continue.

Instead, she was encouraged to seek help. That first conversation changed something.

She realised that seeking help was not an admission of weakness. It was a decision to protect herself. She eventually approached authorities and was connected to support services. For the first time in years, she began speaking openly about what she had experienced.

She learned that healing could involve rebuilding confidence, learning to trust again and understanding that the violence was not her fault.

Her experience mirrors the importance of victim-support services in the national GBV response.

During the fourth quarter of 2025, the Zambia Police Victim Support Unit provided professional counselling to 7,957 victims and offenders, while victims were referred to courts and other service providers for further assistance and protection.

‘I want other women to speak’

Today, the survivor says the most important lesson from her experience is that silence can make an abusive situation even more difficult to escape.

She believes people experiencing violence should know that asking for help is an option.

“I wish I had spoken earlier,” she said.

“But I also know that people need to understand that leaving is not always easy. Sometimes a person needs support, protection and someone to believe them.”

Her story is only one possible experience behind the thousands of GBV cases recorded across Zambia.

The police recorded 9,707 GBV cases between September and December 2025, including physical, economic, sexual and emotional abuse.

Although the overall number represented a 21.6 percent decline from the same period in 2024, sexual abuse increased by 5.6 percent, while 689 child defilement cases were recorded.

They represent fear, disrupted lives, difficult decisions and, for some, the long journey towards recovery.

And for those still living with violence, the first step towards change may simply be finding the courage to say:

“This is happening to me, and I need help.”

Economic abuse can leave victims dependent on perpetrators for food, shelter, education, healthcare or other basic needs.

For people trapped in financially abusive relationships, leaving can become particularly difficult when they lack independent income or resources.

The figures therefore underline the importance of recognising GBV as more than physical violence.

Perhaps the most concerning development in the latest statistics is the increase in sexual abuse.

Police recorded 1,022 sexual abuse cases, compared with 968 during the fourth quarter of 2024.

That represents an increase of 54 cases, or 5.6 percent.

Within this category were 689 child defilement cases, with girls making up the majority of victims.

Lusaka recorded 197 child defilement cases—the highest provincial figure.

Eastern recorded 104, Southern 84, while Copperbelt and Central each recorded 59.

Western recorded 49, North-Western 46, Luapula 34, Muchinga 31 and Northern 20.

TAZARA recorded four cases and Airport Division two.

The statistics also included 159 rape cases, 19 attempted rape cases, 75 indecent assault cases and 20 incest cases.

The increase raises important questions about child protection, reporting, access to justice and the environments in which children are exposed to sexual abuse.

Emotional abuse recorded fewer cases than physical, economic or sexual abuse, but its impact should not be underestimated.

Police recorded 296 emotional abuse cases, down from 359 in the corresponding period of 2024.

Insulting language accounted for 99 cases, while threats of violence accounted for 66.

Emotional abuse can be difficult to identify and report because it may occur privately and without visible injuries.

Yet repeated insults, intimidation and threats can have serious consequences and may accompany or precede physical violence.

The police response to GBV extends beyond investigation and prosecution.

During the fourth quarter, the Victim Support Unit provided professional counselling to 7,957 victims and offenders.

Victims were also referred to courts and other service providers for additional support and protection.

Such services are critical because survivors may require more than police intervention.

They may need medical care, psychosocial support, legal assistance, safe accommodation and protection from further abuse.

Effective GBV response therefore depends on cooperation between law enforcement agencies, health institutions, courts, social services, communities and civil society organisations.

The 21.6 percent decline in reported GBV cases is an important development, but it should be viewed alongside the increases recorded in sexual abuse.

The statistics show that Zambia's GBV challenge is not disappearing.

Rather, it is changing across different forms of abuse and affecting different groups in different ways.

The particularly high number of children affected by criminal GBV—and the increase in child defilement cases—means that prevention and protection of children must remain central to the national response.

The Zambia Police Service has called for continued collaboration with communities, stakeholders and partner institutions to strengthen prevention, protection and response mechanisms.

The task now is to ensure that fewer people experience violence in the first place, while those who do are able to report safely, receive appropriate support and access justice.

Because behind the 9,707 cases is not simply a statistic.

There are families dealing with consequences that may last long after a police report has been filed.

And there is a society being challenged to confront violence not only when it becomes visible, but before it happens.

 

From Risk to Resilience: Why Insurance Matters for Zambia’s Future

By Alain Kabinda

LUSAKA — When a farmer plants a crop, a family builds a home, an entrepreneur starts a business or an investor commits money to a major project, there is always an element of risk.

A drought can destroy a harvest. A fire can wipe out a business. An accident can leave a family facing unexpected costs. Illness can disrupt household finances, while theft, fraud and other unforeseen events can erase years of investment.

Yet behind each of these risks is a question that is often overlooked: what happens after the loss?

For Zambia's insurance industry, the answer is increasingly being framed around financial resilience.

As the country marked National Insurance Week 2026 under the theme “Insurance – Facing the Future with Confidence,” industry and Government leaders used the occasion to highlight insurance not simply as a financial product, but as a mechanism for protecting livelihoods, businesses and investments.

Speaking during the event in Lusaka representing the President of the Insurers Association of Zambia (IAZ), Dr Webster Twaambo, ZSIC Life Managing Director Mr. Collins Hamusonde said the theme reflected the industry's desire to help members of the public understand insurance and make use of appropriate insurance solutions.

He said Zambia's economic ambitions would need to be accompanied by mechanisms capable of protecting the wealth and investments being created.

A business that loses its assets through fire or another insured event may require financial support to recover. A farmer affected by adverse weather may need protection against the loss of income. A family facing an unexpected health or other financial shock can similarly be pushed into financial difficulty.

There are signs that insurance coverage is expanding, although the sector says significant gaps remain.

According to figures presented at the Insurance Week launch, the proportion of adults in Zambia using insurance services increased from 6.3 percent in 2020 to 10.4 percent in 2025, based on the FinScope Survey.

The increase represents progress, but also means that a large proportion of the population remains outside formal insurance protection.

The industry has therefore identified consumer education, product design and service delivery as areas requiring continued attention.

Mr. Hamusonde said myths and misconceptions about insurance continued to affect uptake, while the industry also needed to rethink how it communicates with younger consumers.

He said consumers increasingly expected simpler processes, greater convenience and faster resolution of claims and service-related concerns.

And speaking on behalf of the Secretary to the Treasury, Felix Nkulukusa, Permanent Secretary for Economic Management and Finance Division Mr. Mulele Mulele said insurance should provide people with peace of mind and a financial safety net against accidents, illness, adverse weather, property losses, legal liabilities and other unexpected shocks.

He said confidence in insurance depended on consumers understanding what they were buying.

People need to know what is covered, what is excluded, what premiums they are paying and what they should expect when they make a legitimate claim, he said.

The Second National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS II), covering 2024 to 2028, seeks to expand access to and effective use of quality, affordable and inclusive financial products and services, including insurance.

Insurance therefore forms part of a broader financial inclusion agenda that goes beyond having a bank account or mobile wallet.

As Mulele put it, true financial inclusion must also enable people to protect what they earn, own and build.

Meanwhile Dr Brian Manchishi, Deputy Registrar–Insurance, said confidence had to be built through greater public awareness, clear communication, fair treatment of consumers, quality service delivery and meaningful engagement.

He said, provides a platform for bringing the industry closer to consumers and creating opportunities for direct conversations.

Insurance is ultimately a promise: consumers pay premiums because they expect financial protection when an insured event occurs.

Government therefore urged insurers to settle legitimate claims promptly, fairly and efficiently, clearly explain products and exclusions, and handle complaints professionally.

Government and the insurance industry have been working to extend weather-index insurance to farmers under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP).

Hamusonde said the programme had encountered some initial implementation challenges but expressed confidence that lessons from the experience could contribute to improved implementation in the coming agricultural season.

Climate-related risks remain a major concern for farmers whose livelihoods depend heavily on weather conditions.

Insurance can provide a mechanism for managing some of those risks, helping farmers recover rather than absorb the entire financial impact of adverse weather.

The connection between insurance and Zambia's economic ambitions was another major theme of the launch.

Mr Mulele added that the Grow Zambia agenda, with its focus on increasing production and investment in agriculture, mining, energy, tourism, manufacturing and infrastructure, would require stronger mechanisms for protecting investment.

Mr. Mulele said that as the country increases production, expands businesses and develops infrastructure, it must also strengthen the mechanisms that protect those investments.

Insurance can support this process by allowing risks to be identified, priced and transferred.

For investors and financial institutions, appropriate risk protection can form part of the broader environment required to commit capital to productive projects.

Insurance companies are institutional investors and mobilisers of long-term savings. Government said the sector could therefore contribute to mobilising domestic resources for productive investments in areas such as infrastructure, housing, agriculture, energy and manufacturing.

Mr. Mulele said that Government has specifically identified low-income households, informal-sector workers, farmers, rural communities and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises as groups requiring greater attention.

A seasonal farmer does not have the same financial circumstances as a salaried employee. A market trader faces different risks from a large corporation, while a young entrepreneur starting a business has different needs from an established company.

He therefore challenged the insurance sector to develop products that reflect these differences.

Hamusonde said the insurance sector now had access to tools including advanced telecommunications, information and communication technologies and artificial intelligence that could be used to improve accessibility, efficiency and customer experience.

Digital platforms and alternative distribution channels could help insurers reach customers at lower cost, particularly in communities where traditional insurance distribution may be difficult.

As more services become digital, consumers will still need clear information about products, premiums, exclusions, claims and their rights.

The 2025 FinScope Survey showed overall financial inclusion increasing from 69.4 percent in 2020 to 80.1 percent in 2025, while rural financial inclusion rose from 55.9 percent to 72.5 percent over the same period.

The increase in insurance uptake from 6.3 percent to 10.4 percent forms part of this broader movement.

If insurance is to become an integral part of household financial planning and business development, consumers must understand its value, insurers must provide products that meet real needs, and regulators must maintain an environment that protects policyholders while allowing responsible innovation.

The challenge for Zambia's insurance industry is therefore bigger than increasing the number of policies sold.

It is about building a culture in which individuals, families, farmers and businesses think about risk before disaster strikes.