Alcohol situation, it’s impacts and
control measures in Sri Lanka
Pubudu Sumanasekara
Executive Director
Alcohol and Drug Information centre (ADIC)
Sri Lanka
15.07.2009-Stop Drinking
ADIC OUTREACH
23 OUT OF 25 DISTRICTS ARE
COVERED USING VARIOUS
MICHANISAMS.
-WORKING DIRECTLY
- WORKING THROUGH OTHER
NGOO
- VARIOUS PROJECTS
International Awards Received
• WHO AWARD
• IFNGO AWARD
• COMMONWEALTH AWARD
DURING THE YEAR 2001 ADIC(SRI LANKA) WAS INVITED TO THE
ALCOHOL POLICY STRATERGY ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF THE
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION TO REPREESENT THE SOUTH
EAST ASIAN REGION.
ADIC Programmes
•
Social mobilization(School, Community and Media)
• Strategic intervention
• Policy Advocacy and Litigation
• Human Development and Innovative Intervention
• Research and Information
• Plantation
• Prevention of transmission of HIV/AIDS among drug
users
• Finance and Accounts
Problem
Alcohol
• Rural communities spend 1/3rd of their family
expenditure on alcohol (Mirisankotuwa Research).
• Estate sector spend half of their family
expenditure spend on alcohol (ADIC Plantation Research).
Health Indicators in Sri Lanka
Number of cases of hospitalization on Alcoholic Psychosis , Alcohol
Dependence and Alcohol withdrawal
(Excludes data from
private sector medical institutions)
14000
12000
NO OF CASES
10000
8000
NO. OF CASES
6000
4000
2000
0
1989
1999
YEAR
Source – Statistics of Ministry of health , Government of Sri Lanka
Health Indicators in Sri Lanka
Hospitalization due to Chronic Liver Disease
(Excludes data from private sector medical institutions)
18000
16000
14000
NUMBERS
12000
10000
NO OF CASES
8000
DEATHS
6000
4000
2000
0
1989
1999
YEAR
Source – Statistics of Ministry of health , Government of Sri Lanka
Other problems






Violence
Discipline
Relationship
Absenteeism
Productivity
Nutrition levels
Alcohol Prevalence
Alcohol ever use
36%
yes
no
yes
no
48%
52%
64%
Age group
15-24
44.9
25-40
50.8
40<
48.6
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
Percentage
48
49
50
51
52
Source – Spot Survey 2008 December
Alcohol Production
Arrack Production
2007
50.3
44.93
2005
38.46
2004
34.59
2003
32.02
2002
28.42
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Liters in Millions
Beer Production By Alcohol Level
19.95
2007
29.58
Years
Years
2006
Alcohol Level 5% below
Alcohol Level 5% above
24.8
2006
22.03
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Liters in Millions
Source – Excise reports
Attitudes on Alcohol
Job
Habit
Sad
Forget problems
Avoid weary
Addiction/Intoxicated
Pressure of friends
Nothing special
Parties/Fun/Happy/Pleasure
0.8
Reasons
3.1
4.6
5.4
Reasons for alcohol use
7.9
8.2
16.4
16.4
37.3
0
10
20
30
40
Percentage
Reasons
Policy
Smelly/Not…
Have Knowledge
Bad results
Religious
Family…
Economical
No reason
Stupid thing
Health hazard
Not a habit
0
1.6
2.2
2.4
2.7
3.6
4.3
Reasons for not using alcohol
7.8
12.7
14.6
18.4
29.7
5
10
15
20
Percentage
25
30
35
Source – Spot Survey 2008 December
Major Health Risk Factors
14000
1400
High blood pressure
800
Alcohol
600
400
Overweight
200
High cholesterol
0
WPR_A
Australia, Brunei Darussalam,
Japan, New Zealand, Singapore
16000
14000
12000
10000
8000
6000
4000
2000
0
10000
Tobacco
Overweight
High cholesterol
WPR_B
Tobacco
8000
High cholesterol
6000
4000
Alcohol
2000
0
Overweight
SEA_D
Bangladesh, Bhutan, Democratic People's
Republic of Korea, India, Maldives, Myanmar,
Nepal
Alcohol
High blood pressure
High blood pressure
12000
DALYs (000's)
DALYs (000's)
DALYs (000's)
1000
DALYs (000's)
Tobacco
1200
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
Tobacco
High blood pressure
Alcohol
Overweight
High cholesterol
SEA_B
Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati,
Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia,
Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States
of), Mongolia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New
Guinea, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Samoa,
Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Viet
Nam
Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand
Source: World Health Organization 2004
Approach
• Moralistic ?
• Religious ?
• Scientific ?
– Do users really enjoy alcohol?
– Why youth start consuming alcohol while knowing
the harm and unpleasantness
•The highest number of smoking incidents in the past 12 years
has been recorded in movies featuring the Indian super star
Sharuk Khan.
•The second highest is noted in films featuring the South Indian
superstar Ragini Kanth.
The approach
Opinion makers and
professionals
Media
Policy
Industry
Field level (communities)
Non - users
users
youth
women
children
Approach cont.
• Reduce the attractiveness of the image alcohol
• Reducing unfair privileges attached to alcohol use
• Improving recognition of the real harm form alcohol
use
• Counteracting the forces that promote increased
consumption
• Encouraging quitting or reduction of use
• Formulation and implementation of effective
policies local and beyond etc.
Strategies to address alcohol problems
• Do not alienate users
• Mobilize every single structure in the community
• Develop expertise within the community and transfer
ownership of the programme to the community through
empowering people
• Include everyone in the community (sellers, users, non users,
children, youth, women, political leaders) while using target
group specific systems
• Integrate prevention activities in to the community agenda
and daily life of the people
• Make prevention activities fun simple and attractive
THANK YOU