Terming it SAFER, the World Health Organization (WHO), on Friday, launched an initiative comprising five high impact strategies that may help Governments across the world in reducing alcohol consumption and related health, social and economic consequences.
“We are proud to introduce SAFER, a package of proven interventions to reduce the harms caused by alcohol, and a new partnership to catalyze global action,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General (DG) of the World Health Organisation.
According to WHO, the new initiative SAFER will look into ‘Strengthening restrictions on alcohol availability, Advancing and enforcing drink driving counter measures, Facilitating access to screening, brief interventions and treatment, Enforcing bans or comprehensive restrictions on alcohol advertising, sponsorship, and promotion and Raising prices on alcohol through excise taxes and pricing policies.
Dr Svetlana Axelrod, Assistant Director General (ADG), WHO, said, “We have seen too little progress since the endorsement of the ‘Global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol’ by the World Health Assembly eight years ago. But SAFER brings new impetus for action.”
