South Africa: Social Development On 7th Biennial Global Alcohol Policy Conference

23 October 2023
Government of South Africa (Pretoria)
press release

The Global Alcohol Policy Alliance (GAPA), the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), the Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance (SAAPA), and the Department of Social Development confirmed that all preparations have been completed for the 7th Biennial Global Alcohol Policy Conference as the Global Community descends on the Mother City to chart a way forward to reduce alcohol harm. The harmful use of alcohol is a causal factor in more than 200 disease and injury conditions.

Worldwide, 3 million deaths every year result from the harmful use of alcohol. This represents 5.3% of all deaths. Overall, 5.1% of the global burden of disease and injury is attributable to alcohol, as measured in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Beyond health consequences, the harmful use of alcohol brings significant social and economic losses to individuals and society at large.

Alcohol consumption causes death and disability relatively early in life. In people aged 20-39 years, approximately 13.5% of total deaths are attributable to alcohol harm. There is a causal relationship between the harmful use of alcohol and a range of mental and behavioral disorders, other non-communicable conditions, and injuries.

Professor Charles Parry from the Medical Research Council (SAMRC) said in the South African context he would like to see movement on legislation.

"We want the Liquor Amendment Bill to be passed, there has not been action for the last six years, so it is opportune that we see this conference in South Africa reducing the burden from harmful use of alcohol. Health, safety, and socioeconomic problems attributable to alcohol can be reduced when governments formulate and implement appropriate policies."

He said policymakers were encouraged to take action on strategies that have shown to be effective and cost-effective. These include:

regulating the marketing of alcoholic beverages (in particular to younger people);

regulating and restricting the availability of alcohol;

enacting appropriate drink-driving policies;

reducing demand through taxation and pricing mechanisms;

ensuring support for effective alcohol policies;

providing accessible and affordable treatment for people with alcohol-use disorders; and

implementing screening and brief intervention programmes in health services for hazardous and harmful drinking.

"Minister of Social Development, Ms Lindiwe Zulu will be attending. We have participants from over 50 countries attending this year's conference. The Global Alcohol Policy Conference (GAPC) was last held in Dublin and one of the issues we will be looking at during the conference is to determine if we need more national and global action to decisively deal with alcohol harm so it can be productively addressed," added Parry.

Ms Siza Magangoe of the Department of Social Development said the department has a policy framework to address the challenges precipitated by alcohol and other drug use in the country. She further said the policy was prompted by the changing nature, trends, and extent of alcohol and other drug abuse in the country. The drug policy was approved by the Social Protection, Community and Human Development (SPCHD) Cabinet Committee to be gazetted for public comments.

Ms Aadielah Maker Diedericks from the Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance (SAAPA) representing Civil Society said as the country heads into 16 days of activism for no violence against women and children, they urge President Cyril Ramaphosa to look at alcohol as a driver of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide and address it. "Men who consume alcohol are four times more likely to perpetrate violence," she said.

Policy-makers are encouraged to take action on strategies that have shown to be effective and cost-effective. These include:

regulating the marketing of alcoholic beverages (in particular to younger people);

regulating and restricting the availability of alcohol;

enacting appropriate drink-driving policies;

reducing demand through taxation and pricing mechanisms;

raising awareness of the health and social problems for individuals and society at large caused by the harmful use of alcohol;

ensuring support for effective alcohol policies;

providing accessible and affordable treatment for people with alcohol-use disorders.

Read the original article on Govt of SA.

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