UGANDA ALCOHOL POLICY ALLIANCE Healthy People 01 EDITION THE JUNE 2020 Dear Readers, Production UAPA is pleased to present to & you this newsletter to update distribution you about alcohol and policy of related issues in and around Alcohol sachets Uganda that happened 2019. UAPA recognizes that our ENDED people are eager to share their in March 2019 experiences and impact in their fight against Alcohol harm and hence an idea to bring forth “The Healthy People”. UGANDA ALCOHOL POLICY ALLIANCE. Who we are:- Founded in 2011, the Uganda Alcohol Policy Alliance (UAPA) is a national The Mission of UAPA is to provide network of civil society organizations working to address alcohol related a platform where individuals harm in Uganda. and civil society organizations Our Activities and Outcomes 2019 can contribute to policy and Promote information sharing to inform the Uganda’s Alcohol policy and Act processes on regulation of formulation process and other alcohol abuse control initiatives. alcohol production, distribution continue to page 2 and consumption so as to prevent alcohol related harm among the Ugandan population. This Newsletter will keep you posted of UAPA activities and expected to increase UAPA’s impact in advocacy for a nation free from Alcohol harm. I hope that reading this newsletter will have an impact on you and your work. We may never know how much our words or actions WHO launches SAFER alcohol WHO-led initiative and action influence the lives of those control initiative to prevent and package aim to support global around us, but we can choose reduce alcohol-related death target of reducing harmful use of daily to be a positive influence and disability!. alcohol by 10% by 2025 on others in a way that could “Governments have the opportunity to prevent millions of change the rest of their lives even deaths from harmful alcohol use every year,” if it is just within the walls of where you work. I therefore encourage UGANDA ALCOHOL POLICY CONFERENCE everyone to contribute to this (UAPC)20) newsletter, this way you will be contributing to a nation free from Alcohol harm. Save the Date! Otal Mc Bernard, Publicity UAPA, Editor-in-Chief. 29-30 October 2020 Uganda Alcohol Policy Alliance Production of this material is financed in whole by IOGT-NTO MOVEMENT. Hope and Beyond, Plot 46 Rubaga Road, Email:[email protected] The opinions conveyed are not necessary shared by the IOGT-NTO MOVEMENT. Website:www. ugandaalcoholpolicyalliance.org Responsibility for the content lies exclusively with the authors of the material.1 UGANDA ALCOHOL POLICY ALLIANCE the draft National Alcohol Control Bill continued from page 1:- (NACB). Highlights of 2019 • UAPA offered moral, technical and Almost all the planned activities for the different sometime financial support to her strategic areas in 2019 were implemented. members to keep them interested in the network activities. A few examples 1. UAPA is actively contributing as a member in include; co-sponsoring Alcohol the technical group towards the approval of conferences, participating in alcohol the National Alcohol Control Policy (NACP) harm awareness through sports and and the enactment of the new alcohol law music and speaking at the alcohol • Lobbying meetings with relevant legislators prevention functions organized by her • Advocacy meetings with key Government members. agencies and selected ministries. • Production and dissemination of alcohol • Increasing membership and control advocacy materials. commitment: UAPA AGM recruited • Regular meetings with Ministry of Health to nine new members; five organizations review progress. and four individuals hence the annual • Stakeholders meetings to review the draft target of 30 members was achieved in National Alcohol Policy. the first quarter. We conduct site visits to member organization to strengthen 2. More partners / organizations participating the alliance relationship. We have in alcohol advocacy work. constantly consulted them regarding • Participation in International conferences the governance issues and have kept and forums for advocacy against alcohol. our key stakeholders informed of our • Annual General Assembly for UAPA plans. We have also continued to recruit members. new members. • UAPA members trained in Advocacy and supported to gain skills in their (alcohol • UAPA organized several forums that control related) areas of operations. brought together different stake holders • General capacity building activities. and these were pivotal in yielding intended results. Such included the 3. Strengthening the UAPA membership technical working group and core group and internal control processes for of alcohol researchers to write the NACB. to demand for the necessary legislative UAPA further facilitated a breakfast intervention. meeting to launch the multisectoral • Formulating operating manuals (Finance, committee to ban alcohol in Uganda. operations and human resource). • Quarterly meetings of UAPA Executive. • To enhance competency and credibility • Prompt Payment of rent, Salaries, in provision of alcohol prevention allowances and appropriate taxes. services, 19 UAPA members were equiped with Addiction treatment skills Other activities during the training on Universal Treatment • Conducted quarterly board meetings. Curriculum for Addiction Professionals and 10 were successfully accredited as • UAPA facilitated a stakeholder meeting International Addiction Professionals. and a retreat that drafted and finalized UAPA sat the 6th Annual general assembly on 26th April 2019 at Grand Global Hotel, to deliberate on the issues pertaining the alliance, electing new leaders, amended the constitution, discussed policies, received and endorsed the new work plans and budget for the new year. 2020 AGM has been delayed by the COVID 19 epidemic. 22 Our Partners UAPA actively participated in related campaigns such as World NO TOBACCO DAY on 31st May 2019. This was organized by Ministry of Health (MoH) UAPA has continued to initiate contacts with other influential ministries in matters of preventing alcohol harm such as Ministry of trade, industries and co-operatives regarding the ban on sachet Alcohol. Task Team that fine-tuned the first draft of the National UAPA team in Masindi during Uganda National Association Alcohol Bill (July 2019). for community and occupational health (UNACOH) Alcohol conference (September 2019) Members from organizations supported by IOGT NTO MOVEMENT pose for a group photo during the session of their annual partners meeting in Dar es salaam Tanzania. The annual partners meeting was aimed at sharing experiences, methodologies and challenges in their Alcohol and substance use prevention works (June 2019) 3 News: Dr. Kalema Chairperson UAPA graduated from Ghent University Belgium with a PhD in Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment studies. His study has helped to generate more evidence on alcohol harm and appropriate policy recommendations for Uganda. Uganda National Association of UNACOH Community and Occupational Health UNACOH organized a joint Alcohol control conference In Masindi. 4 4 UAPA press release on the international day on illicit drugs UGANDA ALCOHOL POLICY ALLIANCE (UAPA) Office of the Chairperson, +256 772 481 003 Monday, June 24, 2019 Press release on the occasion to commemorate the ‘International Day against Drug abuse and Illicit Trafficking’ Theme: “Health for Justice. Justice for Health” On Tuesday, June 26, 2019, Uganda will join the rest of the world to commemorate the International day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking. This year’s theme “Health for Justice. Justice for Health” emphasizes the integrated nature of the rights- and health-based approaches. Psychoactive drugs are chemical substances that affect the functioning of the central nervous system, altering perception, mood or consciousness. Common examples of such drugs that are commonly used in Uganda include; marijuana, khat, petroleum products, heroin, cocaine, prescription drugs among others. Alcohol is the commonest drug used and its negative impact is experienced across the globe. Alcohol: A dangerous psychoactive substance According to World Health Organisation (WHO), harmful use of alcohol is responsible for 3.3 million deaths i.e. 5.9% of all deaths every year. The latest Global Alcohol Status Report of the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that countries in Africa are now bearing the heaviest burden of alcohol-related disease and injury – even though other continents are still consuming more alcohol in total. Alcohol use problems in Uganda WHO highlights Uganda as a country with hazardous drinking patterns due to high prevalence of alcohol consumption and heavy episodic and underage drinking. Uganda’s alcohol per capita consumption of 9.8 liters, is among the highest in Africa (Africa’s average is 6 litres). Most of the alcohol produced/ consumed is illicit. In 2011, a worldwide survey of socio-economic consequences of alcohol consumption reported Uganda as the country with the highest rate of alcohol-related negative consequences among listed drinkers. Alcohol is documented to destroy families and communities; burden productivity and keep children and youth from living up to their fullest potential which ultimately slow the socio-economic development of the country. As emphasised by this years’ theme, failure to substantially reduce alcohol use and related harms threatens progress not only in health, but in social justice, economic productivity and in sustainable development. Without urgent action, the