LUSAKA, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- The following are news highlights in Zambia's major media outlets on Thursday.
--Zambia's central bank says macroeconomic objectives announced in the 2018 budget were attainable and key in unlocking the country's growth potential.
Bank of Zambia deputy governor Bwalya Ng'andu said the macroeconomic objectives were realistic because they were premised on policies and interventions aimed at addressing structural constraints not only to unlock growth potential, but ensure fiscal sustainability. (Times of Zambia)
--Health authorities have distributed 837,300 insecticide treated mosquito nets in northern Zambia in an effort to curb malaria in the region.
Provincial medical officer Kennedy Chibwe said the prevalence rate of malaria in the province was high and that the distribution of the mosquito nets will help to fight the disease. (Zambia Daily Mail)
--The Zambian government should take seriously the red flags raised by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and slow-down on borrowing if the country was to move towards the economic growth and stabilization path, a local think-tank said.
The Center for Trade Policy and Development said the concerns raised by the IMF over Zambia's rising debt situation should force the government to slow down on its borrowing as well as cut down on wasteful expenditures. (Daily Nation)
--The Zambian government should consider regulating the sale of alcohol in the country as this was one of the causes of increased gender-based violence, a women group has said.
The Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) said abuse and violence against women has increased and that the trend could persist with increased alcohol intake. (The Mast) Enditem
