Health professionals have raised concerns over the growing number of people consuming alcohol in Rwanda, following a recent survey conducted by the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC).
The survey revealed that alcohol consumption in the country has increased from 41 percent in 2013 to 48 percent in 2022.
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The survey, which aimed to gather data on various risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCDs), involved face-to-face interviews and physical and biochemical measurements from 5,676 individuals aged between 18 and 69 from all four provinces of Rwanda.
Minister of Health Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana shared some of the survey&039;s results on his Twitter account, emphasizing the need to reverse the trend of alcohol consumption in Rwanda. He warned that excessive alcohol intake is associated with NCDs, including certain types of cancer.
"We must reverse this trend. Avoid alcohol or drink in moderation to live longer, healthier lives, and stay safe. Alcohol is not only more harmful to young people but is also illegal for anyone under 18," he wrote.
The survey also found a decrease in heavy episodic drinking from 23.5 percent in 2013 to 15.2 percent in 2022. Heavy episodic drinking is defined as the proportion of adults (15+ years) who have consumed at least 60 grams or more of pure alcohol on at least one occasion in the past 30 days.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), consuming 60 grams of pure alcohol is approximately equivalent to consuming six standard alcoholic drinks.
Dr. Francois Uwinkindi, the head of the NCDs Division at RBC, acknowledged the positive reduction in heavy drinking but emphasized the need for further reduction as the country continues its fight against NCDs. He suggested the implementation of new regulations on alcohol consumption, as well as increased public awareness.
A recent publication by the WHO revealed that "when it comes to alcohol consumption, there is no safe amount that does not affect health." The publication linked alcohol consumption to various types of cancer, including common forms such as bowel cancer and female breast cancer.
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Albert Tuyishime, a medical doctor and epidemiologist, called for more public awareness campaigns to empower individuals to make informed choices.
"While teaching someone to quit smoking or heavy drinking is important, ultimately, the decision lies with the individual," he said.
Tuyishime also emphasized the need for further research to understand the reasons behind higher rates of heavy drinking in certain areas. This understanding would enable targeted interventions for these specific regions.
Among the provinces, the Western province had the highest rate of heavy alcohol drinking at 19.1 percent, followed by the Northern province with 15.8 percent, the Southern province with 15.1 percent, the Eastern province with 13.8 percent, and Kigali with the lowest rate at 10.5 percent.