A research associate with the Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA), Mr Marco Castradori, has said that a report of a research conducted has revealed that 28,876 deaths were attributable to tobacco smoking annually in Nigeria.
Castradori stated this Monday in Kano at a workshop tagged: ‘Dissemination workshop on health burden and economic cost of smoking in Nigeria’.
He said the number represents around 16 percent of deaths from smoking-related diseases and above five per cent of all cases of deaths.
“Among the disease analysed, nearly 737,366 events are expected each year, of which 127,859 representing 17 per cent are attributable to cigarette consumption.
“In terms of costs, these conditions burden the Nigerian healthcare system with nearly N634 billion, of which 526.4 billion, representing 83 per cent are smoking-attributable treatment costs.
“Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) represents the top cause of smoking-attributable mortality with 29 percent, followed by ischemic heart disease with 17.5 per cent, stroke with 13 per cent.
“Other diseases include; passive smoking, 11.5 per cent, lower respiratory tract infection 11 per cent, and also cardiovascular deaths of non-ischemic cause 5.5 per cent,” he said.
He stated further that smoking generates a direct annual treatment cost of N526.45 billion, which he said is equivalent to 0.36 per cent of the Nigerian GDP in 2019, and 9.63 per cent of the country’s annual healthcare spending.
He said productivity losses due to illness, early deaths and informal caregiver from tobacco related diseases represents 0.44 per cent of the GDP.
He said research has suggested that if the price of tobacco cigarettes were to be raised by 50 per cent, the 23,838 deaths from the smoking-attributable diseases would be averted in 10 years, with subsequent savings on healthcare costs, and increased tax revenue.
“In Nigeria, the tobacco tax collection does currently fully cover the direct healthcare costs attributed to smoking. We also supplement the quantitative analysis through focus group discussions with smokers across six Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.
“Five major key themes emanated from the discussions with the participants include; psychological effect, stigmatisation, reduced productivity, fall in standard of living and change in physical health.
“Overall, the result underscores the need for broader tobacco control policies in Nigeria through more tobacco taxes and other supplementary measures,” he said.
