Check harmful use of alcohol... WHO urges African countries

Written by Ebrima Jaw Manneh

Sep 05, 2007 at 08:32 AM

“The harmful use of alcohol in the African region is rising and the situation will worsen, if appropriate action is not taken to address the problem,” a report transmitted by the WHO Country Office in Banjul warned. This call was contained in a report by Dr Luis Sambo, WHO Regional Director for Africa, at the 57th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa, in Brazzaville, Congo. “Episodic or binge is a significant characteristic pattern of consumption in the region,” Dr Sambo said in the report. According to a 2006 report by a WHO Expert Committee on Problems Related to Alcohol Consumption, the estimated proportion of deaths attributable to alcohol consumption in Africa shows a burden of 2.1% in 2000 and 2.2% in 2002. Dr Sambo said the estimate shows that several African countries have some of the highest levels of per capital consumption in the world, especially when traditional beverages are included. . . . . . . .

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