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Global Alcohol Policy Conference to be Held First Time in History in Thailand, 13-15 February 2012.



Thai  Ministry of Public Health reveals alcohol causes 2.5 million deaths, , in other words, about 5 deaths per minute.

6 February 2012, Department of Disease control, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand.

Thai Public Health Minister Witthaya Buranasiri, WHO Representative to Thailand Dr Maureen Birmingham, Chairman of Global Alcohol Policy Alliance (GAPA) Derek Rutherford, and, Thai Health Promotion Foundation CEO, Dr. Krissada Ruengareerat, attended the press conference and collectively announced that Thailand had an honor to host the first Global Alcohol Policy Conference. It will be on 13-15 February 2012 at Impact Forum, Meung Thong Thani. The Thai Ministry of Public Health, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Global Alcohol Policy Alliance (GAPA) and the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) are the co-host of the Global Alcohol Policy Conference. The conference will address global alcohol policy and control measures. It is a key effort to drive policies related to alcohol control according to the Global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol. The conference gathers together experts from academic from all over the world. More than 800 participants are registered for the conference.
                Public Health Minister revealed that alcohol related harms reduction and prevention are in global attention and getting more priority to concern. WHO indicated alcohol is one of the forth leading risk factor for health. Alcohol causes 2.5 million deaths all over the world, in other words, 4.8 deaths per minute. Focusing on population in the age 15 to 29, it was reported 320,000 alcohol related deaths which was not include vast amount of traffic injuries, violence assaults, and impacts for child and family. The 2005 statistics showed the world adult population, age 15 year old and above, consumed alcohol, referred to pure ethanol intake, 6.13 liters annually. Recently, the WHO Global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol endorsed the World Health Assembly in May 2010. The strategy represents a collective commitment by 192 WHO Member States to take action in reducing the harmful use of alcohol and alcohol related impacts for society and economy.
                Thailand has the alcohol policy at national level entitled “the National Alcohol Policy Strategy”. The National Strategy aims to support the control of the magnitude and severity of alcohol-related problems in Thai society. It contains 5 strategies. The First strategy is the Strategy to control of financial and physical availability. The Second strategy is the Strategy to modify values and incentives for drinking. The Third strategy is the Strategy for risk reduction. The Forth is the Strategy for alcohol policy at every setting. And, the Fifth strategy is the Strategy to Support mechanisms and environment for effective alcohol policy. The National Strategy received The Cabinet resolution on 20 July 2010. In addition, there is Alcohol beverage Control Act, endorsed in 14 February 2008. There are Thailand and a few more countries that hold alcohol control Act.
                For alcohol situation, reported by Thai National Statistic Office, 17 million of Thai population age 15 years old and above consumed alcohol. In other words, 32% of Thai population age 15 years old and above was a current drinker. It was also reported that male drink 5 times more than female. The age start drinking for male was 19.4 years old and 24.6 years old for female. Comparing to 2009 statistic, male drinking prevalence was slightly lower, from 54.5% to 53.4%. Female drinking prevalence was very slightly rise from 10.8% to 10.9%.
                Apart from The National Strategy, in 2012, the Thai Ministry of Public Health has the two specific plans to control alcohol. The first one is the social involvement measure. It aims to have collaboration from five religious leaders, ThaiHealth, StopDrink Network in campaigning and raising awareness for alcohol related harms. The second specific plan is the legal measures. The Ministry aims to pass the 8 legislative law relating to alcohol control, say ban on alcohol sale and drink in the industrial plant, sport stadium, ban on alcohol sale in the area radian to educational institution, ban on alcoholic frappe sale (similar to alcopops in western countries) , Ban on alcohol sale on the vehicle or government own agencies, warning label for both domestic production and imported, get more support for alcohol rehabilitation, and draft the criteria of the financial incentive for monitoring and surveillance for violating Alcohol Control Act and other related law.
                Moreover, there was the system set up to control alcohol in various settings. The system contained network from local administrative, local government agencies, and, university and college. This network worked together to ensure the enforcement of the Alcohol Control Act B.E. 2551. The network actions were zoning the alcohol sale in the area radian and nearby educational institution, capacity building for governmental officers and policeman. The monitoring and surveillance for the Alcohol Control Act, during October 2010-September 2011, was found the penalty for 241 cases from 1,279 alcohol sale outlet randomly checked in Bangkok.
                Thai Health Promotion Foundation CEO, Dr. Krissada Ruengareerat, reveals that controlling alcohol related impacts is one of the priorities in national agenda in many countries. The main concerns are to reduce the health risk factors which seen as causes of death and social problems. In the last five years, the amount of alcohol sale declined for more than 14,000 million Bath, from 153,901 million Bath in 2007 to 139,337Million Bath in 2011, as shown in the National Economic and Social Development Board. The reduction in alcohol sale was the outcome from policy advocacy, strategies, and campaigns, such as Stop Drinking in the Buddhist Lent, No Alcohol  for College Freshmen, and Giving Alcohol as a Gift is a Curse to death. The Campaign to Stop Drinking in the Buddhist lent gained more participation from Thai society as shown in the sharp rise rate of campaign participation from 15% in 2003 to 53% in 2011. The Campaign for no alcohol for college freshmen found the huge reduction in alcohol consumption during the freshmen welcome party, from 53.7% in 2009 to 9.8% in 2009. And, the Campaign Giving Alcohol as a Gift is a Curse to death led to people’s behaviour on buying no alcohol for a New Year gift.
                “The international movement toward alcohol related harms reduction was further progressed. ThaiHealth had an honored to be the president for the International Network of Health Promotion. The mission to accomplish is to support countries to develop its own policy to control alcohol consumption, recent work processed on Lao PDR, Viet Nam, Cambodia, and Mongolia. Therefore, it is an opportunity for ThaiHealth in this coming the Global Alcohol Policy Conference to share and exchange experiences on alcohol consumption. All of these actions will bring about the collaboration from several sectors as to tackle alcohol related impacts in the year ahead” ThaiHealth CEO said.
The Global Alcohol Policy Conference feature academic and interactive discussion sessions, such as global burden of disease, alcohol and non communicable disease, Alcohol in the Emerging Market: Situation and Trend, price and taxation, regulating alcohol availability, and pathways from the policy to implementation. There will be many world-renowned speakers from all over the world. The academic are, For example, Prof. Robin Room from Turning Point Alcohol & Drug Centre, Australia, Dr. Jurgen Rehm from Social & Epidemiological Research Department, University of Toronto, Canada. There will also be speakers from civil society, governmental officials or countries representative.
                In addition, number of side meetings will be organized. Moreover, 6 field trips will be offered for participants interested in exploring local actions in proactive and reactive prevention interventions for alcohol-related problems in Thailand. 1. Santi Asoka Community : Alcohol-free community based on religion and strong leadership2. The Community behind Samrae Post Office: Stop Drink & Stop Violence against Woman and Children Community 3. Khlong Lad Mayom Floating Market: Floating Market of Merit and Goodness 4. Phramongkutklao Hospital: Drug Addiction Treatment Center 5. Thai Health Promotion Foundation 6. Asia Precision Public Company Limited: Happy Workplace. There will also be various activities including poster presentation, exhibition, and, activity area. In addition, the GAPC declaration will be declared at the end of Conference to determine the global social commitment to tackle alcohol related harms.
*********************************************** 6 February 2012



   
   


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