Provincial health departments have given their support to a national government campaign to curb alcohol consumption and raise awareness of alcohol abuse, the health ministry has announced.

Limiting alcohol advertising
The ministry said in a statement that at their first meeting of the year last week, Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang and the health MECs from the nine provinces - collectively known as Minmec - had endorsed the drafting of new legislation restricting alcohol advertising.

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"The regulations will include limiting advertising times for alcoholic products and introduction of warning labels on these products.

"The restrictions on advertising are aimed at protecting children and young audience from being attracted to alcohol use.

The regulations will be published for public comment this year," the ministry said.

Substance abuse behind many problems
Minmec resolved to intensify the health campaign against alcohol and substance abuse as "one major factor behind many health and social problems in the country".

The impact of alcohol consumption included foetal alcohol syndrome among children whose mothers who drank during pregnancy, road accidents and violence.

The health sector spent R600 million a year on ensuring emergency services were available to respond to incidents resulting from alcohol consumption. This excluded the resources spent on treating intentional and non-intentional injuries caused as a result of alcohol abuse, and caring for those left with permanent or temporary disabilities.

The health department had already issued a tender for appropriate linguistic and non-linguistic messages that would be introduced as part of a campaign to highlight the negative effects of alcohol.

Focusing on sexual assault
The Minmec meeting also focused on efforts to improve the health sector's response to cases of sexual assault and improving the care offered to survivors of sexual violence, the ministry said.

Minmec resolved to intensify the provision of training in forensic nursing in all provinces. This training had already been provided to groups of nurses in Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and Northern Cape and was being extended to all other provinces. – (Sapa)

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