Alcohol threatens Africa’s growth

Kenya made history by adopting a constitutional dispensation where the political leadership swore allegiance to the people and not the president.

This is a momentum that ought to be replicated in the policy formulation arena which has over the years “pledged allegiance” to “agencies” and not the people.

However, allegiance without a culture of measurements and evidence-based information may prove to be a disaster.

Clear safeguards to protect the people (as we did with presidents) ought to be put in place; or else we may end up with no people.

Policy-makers currently meeting in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea to develop strategies for reducing abuse of alcohol in Africa ought to focus on the people as a key pillar of society.

According to the World Health Organisation, only 10 out of 46 African countries have recent policies governing alcohol consumption.

Only 16 are said to have advertising regulation in place.

Deaths attributable to alcohol has been increasing in Africa from 2.1 per cent in 2001 to 2.4 per cent in 2004 (it could be higher).

Africans are swimming in an alcohol market where 50 per cent of alcohol produced and consumed is not commercially produced or consumed; which translates to no data on content and possible harm.

Kenya ought to export the spirit of constitution making that puts people at the centre and also its Alcoholic Drinks Control Bill 2009 that seeks to formalise brews to other African countries.

It is crucial that African governments drive towards facilitating measurement-based balance between economic development and public health.

Studies ought to establish whether a link exists between alcohol consumption and spread of HIV-Aids, whether increase in tax on alcohol reduces alcohol abuse, productivity and regulating commercial production.

African countries could also borrow from the 63rdWorld Health Assembly’s (held in May 21, 2010) global strategy to reduce harmful use of alcohol.

African countries ought to move with speed and domesticate strategies to address the threat posed by unregulated consumption of alcoholic beverages.

The culture of measurements and evidence based assessment of issues is what drives decisions in wealthy nations.

For example, the European Union enforces 50mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood for drivers.

Many African countries will be hard-pressed to state the amount of alcohol say in chang’aa and busaa.

We still operate in generalities, such as: “It’s a strong beer,” “he/she is drunk” and “he/she took something.”

Similar generalities are used to describe causes of accidents in Africa.

Toyota may never have discovered it had an acceleration problem had the Lexus hitch début on the continent.

The momentum set by Kenya’s new constitutional dispensation that puts people at the centre of focus calls for clear policy to protect the same.

Imagine pledging allegiance to people bogged down by harmful effects of alcohol.

Worse still, committing to people who are Kenyan in body but not mind; the quest for a new constitutional order will have failed to deliver on its key purpose.

Africa’s youth is under threat unless a clear framework is developed to govern consumption of both commercial and non commercial alcohol.

Kenya must take the lead in driving a measurement culture to safeguard her people.

Shikwati is the director, Inter Region Economic Network. james@irenkenya.org.