Exessive Alcohol Consumption is a key to chronic poverty in Uganda

Exessive Alcohol Consumption is a key ‘’driver and maintainer’’ of chronic poverty in Uganda. The reason why excessive consumption of alchole has become a new frontier for chronic poverty in Uganda is that, the discussion on excessive alcohol consumpion in the country has for long been in the back –seat of what is consired to be ‘’ personal choices.’’

This mentality has hindered attempts to bring the issue into the public domain and the frontline of public policy because; Policy makers and the gereral populace in the country have deliberately refised to acknowledge that Uganda has an alcohol problem.

In recent times, a lot has been reported in research reports, the Ugandan media and other development circles about Ugandas’ position in alchol consuming nations including South Africa, Nigeria, Tanzania, Zambia, Burundi, and Ghana among others. It should be remembered that in 2004 Global status report on Alcohol according to World Health Organisation (WHO); with a per capita consumption of 19.47 litters per adult (age 15 years and above), Uganda held the first position in the world out of 185 countris in consumption of pure alcohol.

Since 2002, documented evidence from the world Health Organisation (WHO) and the Ministry of finance have highlighted excessive alcohol consumption as one of the key drivers and maintainers of poverty especially in the rural countryside.

This is further evidenced by a recent research (2011) conducted by one of the local NGOs where too much drinking defined the social lives of people in Northern Uganda such as Oyam district. > > > > Read More