Subscribe by rss
    Saturday 16 January, 2021
    Rwanda News
      • Home
      • National
      • Politics
      • Regional
      • Magazines
      • OP&ED
    Published On: Fri, Jun 7th, 2013
    English / Feature / Recent News | By gahiji

    Excessive alcohol consumption could hinder MDGs, says EAC Civil Society platform

    01

    The East African Community Civil Society against alcohol abuse has warned that if nothing is done, alcohol abuse could hinder the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

    The warning was made during the recently concluded international conference on alcohol and drug use that took place in Kampala, Uganda.

    According to the Regional Civil Society Body, seven out of the Eight Millennium Development Goals (MDG) are substantially hindered by heavy alcohol consumption that negatively affects them all.

    International Evidence shows that alcohol is a cross-cutting risk factor in many areas of public health, as well social vices, from child health, non-communicable and communicable diseases including Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and HIV/AIDS, gender based violence and crimes, to economic and social development. These grossly hinder sustainable development of households, communities and societies.

    In reference to MDG one which is the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, it has been found out that poverty is in different ways intensified by alcohol use.

    “We see in communities throughout the East African Community (EAC) disastrous alcohol expenditure; the pattern is one where bread winners, in most cases men, divert meager family resources meant for food and other household needs to their alcohol habit due to chronic alcohol dependence,” say Civil Society activists in a statement.

    “In addition, home brewed traditional alcoholic beverages mostly use ingredients that are common household food grains, such as maize, millet, sorghum and cassava.

    Therefore, this practice depletes food supply at household and community levels. The ultimate consequences of these practices lead to food insufficiency, hunger and a poor diet in the family which in turn leads to avoidable illness especially for children.”

    These activists say that alcoholism causes bad health to the consumer, hence dramatically reducing their chances of earning income for household use. Alcohol addiction also leads to excessive use of family resources to feed the addictive habit.

    Alcoholism has various effects on other MDGs like the achievement of universal primary education, promotion gender equality and empowerment of women, reduction of child mortality, improving of maternal health, combating HIV/ AIDS, Malaria and TB and ensuring environmental sustainability.

    At the conference, participants recommended that all concerned stake holders should act quickly to meaningfully involve Decision-makers on the local and regional level in policy making. They also called upon the keeping out the alcohol industries on alcohol policy making process.

    They called for mass education of the public on the consequences of alcohol abuse using guidance of action recommended by the WHO Global Strategy to reduce harmful use of Alcohol.

    The activists also called for the conducting of extensive research on alcohol in Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania to inform policy formulation.

    Related News
    Tweet

    Rwanda Seeks Russian Help to Stop UN Freeing Key Genocide Convicts

    Disruptive Technology Takes Centre Stage at African Innovation Summit in Rwanda

    How Rwandan Banks can Benefit from Latest Technologies

    Why Ugandan President Museveni is Insulting Rwanda’s War Dead

    Leave a comment

    Click here to cancel reply.

    XHTML: You can use these html tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

    Join us in Facebook

    Popular Posts

    • Tribert Rujugiro: The Story of the Rwandan Billionaire
    • Rwanda Seeks Russian Help to Stop UN Freeing Key Genocide Convicts
    • Unknown son of Gen Fred GISA Rwigema reappears after 24 years
    • Israel Joins Rwanda to Demand France Acts on Genocide Suspects
    • Rwanda Bypasses Uganda for its own Standard Gauge Railway Line

    Recent News

    • Rwanda Seeks Russian Help to Stop UN Freeing Key Genocide Convicts
    • Africa Innovation Summit Kicks Off in Rwanda
    • Disruptive Technology Takes Centre Stage at African Innovation Summit in Rwanda
    • Kagame in Belgium, Scheduled Talks with King and PM
    • How Rwandan Banks can Benefit from Latest Technologies
    • Rwanda: Food Delivery App Cuts Prices, Meal Arrival Time
    • Rwanda Starts Phasing Out Dangerous Refrigerators

    Subscribe via email

    Enter your email address:

    Tweet
    Rwanda News
      • Home
      • About us
      • Contact Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • RSS by category
      • Irembo
      • Abanyapolitiki
        • Ibibazo n’ibisubizo
        • Ibikorwa
        • Imitwe ya politiki
        • Rwanda Politics
        • Ubuvugizi
    All Rights Reserved | NewsOfRwanda.com
      • Home
      • National
      • Politics
      • Regional
      • Magazines
      • OP&ED