SAAPA abhors increased alcohol abuse

....As Dr. Clement Sakala ask the government to remove alcohol from the streets

The Southern Africa Alcohol Policy Alliance (SAAPA) executive director Moloka  Evalyn has expressed concern about the increased level of alcohol abuse among young people in the region.

Moloka told journalists at a media briefing this morning that SAAPA is somehow consoled by the assurance by President Hakaimde Hichilema who promised that his administration is considering constructing the rehabilitation centers for alcohol addicts.

Mrs. Moloka asked the government to consider providing an alternative means of livelihood for people especially impoverished  elderly women that brew illicit alcohol being abused by young people, especially in high-density slums.

She equally proposed to extend the campaign against the indiscriminate use of beer among young people in the productive age by alchohol  producers.

She said the policymakers should respect the principles of conflicts of interest when dealing with regulating alcohol permits and beer addicts, both of whom flout regulations with impunity.

She said donations and gifts done in kind to politicians by the alcohol producers must be taken into consideration if the fight against alcohol abusec is to be effective in Zambia.

Serenity Harm Reduction programs Zambia SHRPS president Philip Chimponda wants the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation on alcohol to be implemented in all member states.

Mr. Chimponda told journalists at a media briefing that first among the recommendations is to strengthen the restriction on alcohol availability in the country saying this will help to reduce the dangers of alcohol abuse.

Chiponda said enforcing measures meant to curb drinking while driving by the  motoring public will help in reduction of road carnage.

He disclosed that the WHO wants to facilitate access to brief screening interventions and treatment among alcohol addicts in member countries.

Equally. a concerned  Chimponda explained, that enforcing the ban or comprehensive restriction on alcohol advert sponsorship of recreation and sport will help reduce the risks associated with alcohol abuse.

He further expressed an urgent need to raise the prices of alcohol to discourage people, especially the youths in the habit from abusing it.

He lamented that the alcohol consumption restricting National Alcohol Policy has worringly stalled for four years since inception  in 2018.

 Chimponda wants the  National Alcohol Policy enforcement to be enforced by the Ministry of Local Government  and Housing, with additional need for the Ministry of Finance (MoF) to ensured that the alcohol levy is hiked not only to discourage abusers but also to raise money for treatment and rehabilitation of the addicts.

He said alcohol levies will help to go towards prevention activities and the indistricriminate production, consumption and sell of alcohol.

He proposed that companies that produce high alcohol content beer should be made to pay high taxes as a measure to discourage them from supplying high alcohol content to the communities.

He observed that the profit made by the alcohol industry is huge compared to the taxes paid to countries in which they operate from.

He indicated that the reduction in the taxes from 60 to 40% has seen a new introduction of high content bear in Zambia.

In some countries, especially in Europe Chimponda explained, the taxation on alcohol is being hiked to discourage the people that brew beer and in the process minimizing death of citizens associated with consumption of spirits.

Besides, Chimponda explained that raising the taxes will also help to reduce the donor funding and help to promote mechanisms for effective implementation of the alcohol policy.

And Alcohol Concern Zambia (ACZ) president Dr. Clement Sakala observed that Zambia is going through a sharp rise in the alcohol consumption as can be witnessed by the high level of beer being sold everywhere in the country.

Dr. Sakala regretted that selling of alcohol in Zambia today is done by unregulated vendors and is sold to the underage persons.

He observed that there is a high number of young people getting admitted to mental asylums today than ever before.

Dr. Sakala wondered why the local authorities would indiscriminately permit sell of alcohol which has seen many productive people suffer harms and to greater extent death being the ultimate  unfortunate  end.

He not only called for stiffer punishment for the people found selling alcohol without a license and underaged but also advised the government to remove alcohol from the streets where it is being accessed by underaged people.

He demands the strengthening of the licensing policy to prevent giving licenses to an authorized individual.

 

Dr. Sakala appealed to the government to implement the alcohol policy which has remained dormant since it was enacted a few years ago.

He said the implementation of alcohol is a measure of protecting the¹ victims of alcohol in Zambia.