Movendi International, a global network for development through alcohol prevention has called on World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Member States to address the benefits of alcohol policy to promote healthy ageing in Africa.
It said the 2019 landmark report showed that alcohol consumption and its harm were rising among older people, both in the form of chronic disease, such as the cancers and heart diseases, or acute harm, such as falls and injuries.
The call was made in a statement read by Mr Labram Musah, a Board Member of the Movendi International at the 74th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa meeting held in Brazzaville, Congo, in August, this year.
The Regional Committee is the WHO decision-making body in the region, convening once a year to discuss and endorse policies, activities and financial plans aimed at improving the health of the people of Africa.
The statement congratulated the WHO Africa Secretariat and the Member States for the achievement of 30 countries in the region who have developed policies and frameworks to promote healthy ageing.
It questioned; “How many of these strategies address alcohol, and is the Secretariat providing technical know-how to Member States in addressing alcohol as part of the healthy ageing agenda?”
“This is critical for our region because the alcohol industry is pushing aggressively into our societies, trying to make more Africans consume alcohol. Already we see that the non-communicable diseases (NCDs) burden caused by alcohol is growing in our region,” the statement said.
GNA
