Saving Nigerians from preventable deaths from sugary drinks
Nigerians consume sugary drinks a lot. Now, the government plans to tax them for this habit. Will this save them from preventable deaths linked to sugary drinks? MOSES EMORKIEN writes.
An anonymous quote said: “One of the biggest sins any Nigerian may commit today is to fall sick or need emergency healthcare service.” As much as a citizen would like to be patriotic, defend the country and utterly disregard and condemn the above statement, there is not so much to defend.
While the latest health system rankings by the World Health Organization (WHO) showed that Nigeria advanced from being ranked 187 out of 191 countries two decades ago, to 163 out of 191 countries, the health reality in the country is not one every Nigerian can be proud of.
Incessant health workers’ strikes, inadequate manpower and infrastructure, poor funding, huge out-of-pocket expenses to access quality medical care, are among a host of problems bedeviling the health sector. The new entrant is the COVID-19 pandemic which largely undressed and revealed the deep-seated rot in the Nigeria health system.
More than ever before, Nigerians need to take their health more seriously. More so, there is no better time to make healthier choices than now when the world has been awakened to the rude shock of the COVID-19 pandemic and its attendant morbidities (illnesses) and mortalities (deaths). Chances are that if Nigerians make healthier choices (eating, drinking, sanitation, exercising, vaccination etc.,), their immune systems will be strong enough to fight any disease, hence, keeping them healthy, alive and productive. For example, in recognition of the effect of consumption of tobacco and alcohol on the severity and mortality of coronavirus infections, countries like India and South Africa banned the consumption of these “health bads” for a period of time.
Sadly, according to a study by WellNewMe, a health technology company, 75 per cent of Nigerians are at risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which reduces their chances of survival, especially when other diseases such as COVID-19 hit them. A study carried out in Lagos by Osibogun and colleagues in Lagos at the height of the pandemic in 2020 revealed that the mortality rate of COVID-19 patients was higher in those with co-morbidities. The co-morbidities that were identified as risk factors for death were hypertension, diabetes, renal disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease and HIV. In the study, a significantly higher proportion of patients with co-morbidities died compared to those without – with many of these co-morbidities linked to lifestyle choices such as consuming unhealthy foods and drinks, especially Sugar Sweetened Beverages (SSBs).
According to a World Bank Group report obtained by The Nation, there is now a strong evidence base on the association between the consumption of SSBs and health outcomes. The report revealed that consumption of SSBs have been associated with higher incidence of weight gain, overweight, obesity, type 2 diabetes, dental caries, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, cancer, and all-cause and cause-specific mortality.
In fact, in 2016, a global soft drinks market analysis showed that Nigeria is the fourth highest consumer in the world market for soft drinks (with over 40 million liters sold yearly), coming after the United States, China and Mexico. The market was also projected to grow by 17.12 per cent per year between 2021 and 2026, resulting in a market size of about 10 billion USD (in retail prices).
Sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) include any liquid that contains natural or added sweeteners including various forms of sugars such as brown sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, lactose, malt syrup, maltose, molasses, raw sugar, and sucrose. These may include soft drinks (i.e., colas, malt), juices (even 100 per cent juices), nectars, sweetened coffee, sweetened tea, energy drinks, specialty drinks, and flavored dairy.
How consumption of SSBs threaten Nigeria’s health and economy
Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning Zainab Ahmed, while presenting the breakdown of the 2022 budget, announced that the Federal Government has introduced an excise tax of N10 per liter on all non-alcoholic, carbonated, and sweetened beverages.
Explaining that the new tax was introduced to raise excise duties and revenues for health-related and other critical expenditures in line with the 2022 budget priorities, Ahmed added that the primary aim of the tax is to discourage excessive consumption of sugar in beverages, which contributes to obesity, diabetes, and other diseases.
According to a Senior Health Specialist at the World Bank, Dr Olumide Okunola, “Disease burden is shifting from communicable diseases, with 29 per cent of mortality attributable to non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Cardiovascular diseases, cancer and type 2 diabetes are the most prevalent. “37 per cent of productivity losses in Africa are due to NCDs, and Nigeria is among the top five (5) countries with highest Disability Adjusted Life Year (DALYs) accrued in Africa. DALYs represent the loss of the equivalent of one year of full health. In 2015 alone, accrued DALY’s could have led to loss of productivity of $879,059,495.82 for Nigeria. It is noteworthy that out of the total productivity costs, those in the most productive age bracket of 15 to 59 years would bear about 38 per cent of such losses. The case for modifying these risk factors downwards is therefore grounded not only in health but also an economic argument.”
Speaking with The Nation, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Health Watch, Vivianne Ihekweazu, explained that the pro-health tax on SSBs should bring long term benefits and healthcare costs savings through the prevention of non-communicable diseases like diabetes.
“Data indicates that 1 out of every 17 adults in Nigeria is living with diabetes. The Federal Government is taking this action to improve the economic and health indices of the country.
“The tax generated from SSBs will result in key outcomes: a gain for public health by bringing about improved health outcomes and reduced healthcare costs; a plus for domestic revenue by introducing a new source of funding; and a win for the economy by the reduced loss in productivity due to ill health,” she said.
MOSES EMORKIEN
