K250 Million Promised, Zero Centres

Inside Zambia’s rehab gap as drug crisis hits the poor hardest

Zambia has budgeted billions for health — but not a single line for rehabilitation. And in that silence, the country’s addiction crisis continues to grow.

By Sandra Kunda | MakanDay Investigates

In August 2025, the Zambian government announced a K250 million national drug rehabilitation and skills development centre, promising a decisive response to a growing addiction crisis.

Eight months later, there is no construction, no dedicated budget line, and no public rehabilitation centre, leaving thousands of struggling families with nowhere to turn.

A MakanDay investigation has found a widening gap between policy promises and reality, with the burden falling hardest on poor communities.

A promise on paper

The announcement, made by Vice President Mutale Nalumango at a stakeholders’ meeting co-hosted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), positioned the rehabilitation centre as a major intervention to address rising drug abuse.

However, a review of the 2026 national budget reveals no clear allocation of K250 million for the project. Instead, the budget shows that K600,000 has been allocated to psychotropic substance use rehabilitation, while K1,489,900 — just under K1.5 million — is earmarked for provincial drug rehabilitation and prevention programmes under the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security.

That figure must stretch across all ten provinces — covering prevention, treatment, and recovery support for a growing number of young people battling addiction.

Broken down, it amounts to roughly K149,000 per province per year — a figure that raises serious questions about whether meaningful rehabilitation services can exist at all under such constraints.

Yet the contradiction runs deeper. While the Ministry of Health has been allocated over K26.1 billion for drugs, infrastructure and hospital operations, there is no specific allocation for drug rehabilitation centres or addiction treatment facilities.

The absence of a dedicated budget line for the promised K250 million rehabilitation centre raises a broader question: is addiction being treated as a public health crisis — or primarily as a law enforcement issue?

On the ground: An empty site

DEC spokesperson Allan Tamba confirmed that a site for the rehabilitation centre has been identified in Balmoral, Chilanga district, but noted that government is still “mobilising resources” from both public and private partners.

Those who have visited the site say there are no signs of construction. The land remained bare, overgrown with grass and trees, with no visible activity to suggest that work had begun. The centre that was meant to signal action remains, for now, an unfulfilled plan.

No public rehab, no alternative

Despite the growing crisis, Zambia currently has no public residential rehabilitation centre for drug addiction. At Chainama Hospital, the country’s main mental health referral facility, a source said the treatment is limited to acute management and stabilisation, with no provision for long-term residential rehabilitation.

DEC continues to focus on counselling, prevention campaigns, and law enforcement. However, mental health experts warn that this approach is incomplete and fails to address the needs of those already addicted.

“We cannot solve addiction with awareness alone. Those who are already addicted need structured treatment and recovery spaces,” said psychiatrist Dr Timothy Chikontwe of Serenity Wellness Centre in Roma Township, Lusaka.

Serenity Wellness Centre, established by the Capuchin Franciscan Order in Zambia, provides mental health and rehabilitation services in response to growing mental health challenges and a sharp rise in alcohol and drug use.

The centre attends to more than 100 patients each year. In 2025 alone, it handled at least 137 clients — 109 males and 27 females. According to the centre, substance addiction is often linked to trauma, grief and loss, stress, depression, and other mental health conditions such as bipolar and psychotic disorders. Peer pressure, the increasing availability of drugs, and possible genetic vulnerability are also contributing factors.

The cost of recovery – and who is left out

With no public option available, families are forced to turn to private rehabilitation centres, where the cost of treatment remains prohibitively high.

Investigations into private facilities show that residential rehabilitation ranges between K8,000 and K12,000 per month. Initial assessments cost between K500 and K1,000 per hour, while therapy sessions range from K600 to K2,000 per hour. The minimum treatment period is typically two months or more.

For many families, these costs are simply out of reach. In Kitwe’s Ndeke Township, Stan Kambele, a small-scale farmer, says his 22-year-old son is battling addiction, and there are no public rehabilitation centres in Kitwe, according experts in the field.

“When they told us it costs K8,000 per month, we knew it was not possible. My income does not even reach K7,000. Now we just wait, hoping he comes home alive,” he said.

Managing addiction at home – at a cost

In Lusaka, the Banda family attempted to manage addiction without professional support. After developing a cocaine dependency, Alfred Banda was taken to a rural area to isolate him from drugs, but the withdrawal nearly cost him his life.

“For two weeks he could not sleep. We didn’t know what to do. We are not medical personnel. He almost died,” said his sister, Hildah Banda.

A system tilted toward arrests

Government response to drug abuse remains heavily enforcement-driven. Records from the Drug Enforcement Commission indicate that in 2025, a total of 4,750 individuals were arrested in connection with drug-related offences, with 3,789 convictions recorded. In contrast, only 898 individuals received professional counselling services for drug dependence, and there is no record of any residential rehabilitation being conducted.

For many families, this has created a cycle in which individuals are arrested, released, and then relapse due to lack of treatment.

“My brother was arrested several times. Each time he came back worse,” said Hildah Banda.

New drugs, growing risk

As treatment options remain limited, the drug landscape continues to evolve. DEC has confirmed the presence of several illicit substances in circulation, including methamphetamine (commonly known as crystal meth), codeine, khat (mira), heroin, and a locally produced mixture known as “volo,” which combines cannabis and heroin.

In some communities, users are engaging in a dangerous practice referred to as “bluetooth,” where blood is shared through injection from one user to another. This practice poses significant health risks.

Drugs are now accessible at very low prices, with some users reporting that substances can be purchased for as little as K30. This affordability has made drugs increasingly accessible to unemployed youth and school-going children.

A public health crisis – without a public response

Public health experts argue that addiction should be treated as a national public health emergency rather than solely as a criminal issue. Raymond Hamoonga, National One Health Coordinator at the Zambia National Public Health Institute, warns that heavy reliance on partnerships to fund the rehabilitation centre could delay its implementation.

Without direct and sustained government investment, the promised rehabilitation facility may remain stalled, even as the crisis deepens.

The real cost of delay

Behind the statistics are families facing daily uncertainty and loss. A father waits for his son to return home. A family nearly loses a loved one during withdrawal. Others endure repeated cycles of arrest and relapse.

The K250 million rehabilitation centre was meant to mark a turning point. Instead, it has come to symbolise a deeper systemic gap—one where policy commitments are not matched by funding or implementation.

A crisis without a centre

Back in Kitwe, Kambele says his son still needs help, but the systems meant to provide that help remain out of reach.

“As a struggling family, we cannot do this by ourselves,” he said.