Alcoholics Anonymous Reviews

The Ministry of Health and Social Services and its partners yesterday met to amend and update the draft demand reduction policy on alcohol use and misuse.

The policy is in keeping with the World Health Organisation and the World Bank which have agreed that a comprehensive set of measures to reduce the harmful use of alcohol remains the most effective approach to reduce alcohol use and its related negative effects.

Minister of Health, Dr Richard Kamwi, said the draft policy will serve as a national guiding document for legislative reforms and will inform appropriate national responses to the problem. He said the policy would regulate alcohol consumption to a point of moderation.

The policy arose from concerns that most Namibians believe that drinking 10 units of alcohol at a single occasion is acceptable.

A baseline study in 2002 found that 56 percent of Namibia's population consumes more than 10 litres of alcohol per session and those that drink did it excessively.

A UNICEF issue paper last year said children started drinking alcohol at the age of 10 years, while 32 percent of 10 to 14 year olds learnt to drink from their parents and guardians.

Alcohol is responsible for depression, injuries, cirrhosis, dependence and family disruptions and loss of productivity, domestic violence and murders.

In 2006, 1064 patients were admitted to hospitals due to stab wounds related to alcohol use, 443 had cirrhosis, 1523 suffered from mental disorders, 331were admitted for psycho-active substances, while 219 died from gunshot wounds - all related to alcohol misuse.

Statistics of drinking and driving have also shot up by 200 percent, while 68 percent of suicides were prompted by alcohol use.

The policy will look into aspects of availability, accessibility, prevention and treatment. Kamwi said the policy would provide a good framework for reversing the negative trend of alcohol abuse in the country.

"Worldwide surveys show that the lower the average alcohol consumption of a country, the less personnel and societal harm there is from alcohol abuse," he said.

World Health Organisation Representative, Dr Madga Robalo, said a well-articulated policy would include measures such as control, supply and demand to minimise alcohol-related harm and promote public health.

But she said other factors such as level of production, political liberalisation and marketing also influenced consumption.

She said one of the important factors to be discussed in terms of the policy was alcohol advertising by the industry.

"While much research on the impact of alcohol marketing and advertising is not conclusive, increasing evidence can be found that exposure shapes positive perceptions of drinking and can increase heavier drinking.

"Therefore, it seems that restrictions on advertising and sponsorship should be part of a comprehensive alcohol policy, especially when it is targeted at young people," said Robalo.

She said the policy should include measures that educate the public on the dangers of alcohol use, interventions focussing on treating and punishing those who put their lives and others at risk.

UNICEF Acting Country Representative, Madhavi Ashok, said Namibians need an empowering process for them to make choices especially in the face of advertising and messages that give young people the impressions that 'alcohol is cool'.

Ashok added that responsible drinking also entailed taking action that ensures that people buy necessities first before they purchase alcohol.

Policy advisor to the Australian government, Dr Keith Evans, said the policy should acknowledge the rights of people who have chosen not to drink and encourage those that drink to do so responsibly.

About 35000 formal and informal jobs have been created in the alcohol industry, thus contributing about N$1.2 billion of the total national income from the manufacturing industry.

all Africa