Dear Colleagues,
I have previously shared the WHO SAFER package and now I am sharing a summary of the WHO Alcohol Action Plan 2022-2030. (1)
This plan was developed in order to effectively implement the Global Strategy to reduce alcohol use. of alcohol as a public health priority (2), was endorsed by the 75th World Health Assembly in May 2022.
The plan contains six areas of action, in which global indicators are proposed to monitor its execution.
The success of the action plan depends on the actions taken by Member States, effective governance at the global and regional levels, and the due participation of all relevant stakeholders.
The objective of this plan is to achieve by 2030 a relative reduction, with respect to 2010 levels, in the following areas of action:
SPHERE 1. Application of high-impact strategies and interventions
Global goal 1.1: Reduction of at least 20% in the harmful use of alcohol.
Its indicators are: total consumption of pure alcohol per capita, prevalence by age of episodes of massive alcohol consumption, burden of deaths attributable to alcohol, burden of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs)
Global goal 1.2: Achieve 70% of countries approve/implement high-impact regulatory interventions.
Its indicators are: number of countries that approved/apply measures that have a great impact on:
a) Affordability of alcoholic beverages
b) Advertising and marketing
c) Availability of alcoholic beverages
d) Driving under the influence of alcohol
e) Detection and brief interventions on problematic alcohol consumption and treatment of alcohol use disorder
SPHERE 2. Promotion, awareness and commitment
Global goal 2.1.: Achieve that 75% of countries have developed and implemented national alcohol regulation policies.
Indicators: number of countries with a written national policy and enacted.
Global target 2.2: Have 50% of countries produce regular national reports on alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harm.
Indicators: number of countries that have prepared at least 2 national reports in the last 8 years
SPHERE 3. Association, Dialogue and Coordination.
Global goal 3.1: Achieve 50% of countries to develop a national multi-sector coordination mechanisms to implement and strengthen alcohol regulations.
Indicator: number of countries with a multi-sector national coordination mechanism established to regulate alcohol.
Global target 3.2: Achieve 50% of countries participating in WHO global and regional networks on alcohol regulation.
Indicator: number of countries actively represented in WHO global and regional networks.
SPHERE 4. Technical support and capacity building.
Global target 4.1: Achieve 50% of countries with greater capacity to implement effective strategies and interventions to reduce harmful use of alcohol at the national level.
Indicator: number of countries that have increased government resources to implement effective policies to regulate alcohol.
Global goal 4.2: Achieve 50% of countries with health services with greater capacity to provide interventions for the prevention and treatment of alcohol-related problems. Indicator: number of countries that have increased the capacity of the health system for prevention and treatment of conditions due to alcohol use.
SPHERE 5. Knowledge Creation and Information Systems.
Global goal 5.1. Achieve 75% of countries to periodically generate and present national data on alcohol consumption, related harms, and the application of measures.
Indicator: number of countries that generate and present national data.
Global target 5.2: Have 50% of countries regularly report on a national data set for monitoring.
Indicators: number of countries that have and present an agreed data set on the alcohol problem.
SPHERE 6. Resource mobilization.
Global Meta 6.1: Achieve at least 50% of countries to allocate resources to reduce the harmful use of alcohol.
Indicator: number of countries that have allocated resources to implement alcohol regulation policies at the national level, number of countries that have obtained resources to increase coverage and quality of alcohol interventions, and number of countries that allocate resources from tax revenues linked to alcohol.
Comment: Without failing to recognize the effort that countries make to advance in the regulation of alcohol, and that this Action Plan is a significant help, given that it is aimed to guide countries on what should be done...it leaves me with “little taste.”
We have already talked about how powerful the alcohol industry is and how it has managed to influence the highest levels to “limit” or “slow down” regulatory advances, when It is not capable of “totally blocking” them.
I think there is a lot to do, and that health professionals have a great responsibility in the matter.
What do you think?
Can this action plan help you in your countries?
What other type of help would you need?
Kind regards,
Eduardo
References
1. https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/alcohol/final-text-of-aap-...
2. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241599931
*Dr. Eduardo Bianco*
*Director, Addiction Training Program (ATP)*
Email: ebianco@nextgenu.org
Web: NextGenU.org <https://nextgenu.org/>
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HIFA profile: Eduardo Bianco is a medical doctor and Cardiologist, Certified Tobacco Cessation Expert with a Masters in Prevention and Treatment of Addictive Disorders. Currently, he is Chair of the World Heart Federation Tobacco Expert Group. Dr. Biancos research examines tobacco control and cessation, and he is a prominent member of several organizations that address tobacco control in Latin America. Dr. Bianco has worked for 25 years in Uruguay and Latin America to promote and train in smoking cessation treatment and tobacco control policies. He is also the former Regional Coordinator for the Americas of the Framework Convention Alliance and former Technical Director of the MOH Center for International Cooperation for Tobacco. ebianco AT nextgenu.org
