Govt asks brewing companies to establish rehab centre for alcoholics
Uganda is one of the major alcohol consumers, worldwide.
Government has asked alcohol brewing companies to establish rehabilitation centers to look after those struggling with alcohol abuse.
The permanent secretary of Uganda’s trade ministry Geraldine Ssali Busuulwa notes that there are several people suffering from abusive use of alcoholic products.
“You have a promotion of positive drinking which is a good thing. You have all these value chains of people you support to do the 95 per cent input into your business but to complete the goal and the equation of your sustainability, you may need to own a rehabilitation center as well,” Ssali told leaders of Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL) in Kampala
She believes that brewers have the responsibility to bring alcoholics back to what she described as a normal life.
"You have a responsibility to take it up,” she added on Thursday while officiating at a graduation ceremony of 200 youth have been trained in various business skills from UBL.
Her remarks come at a time when a new World Health Organization (WHO) report has just ranked Uganda as the first alcohol consuming country on the African continent.
According to the 2023 report released by the global health body, a Ugandan averages an annual consumption of 12.21 litres of pure alcohol annually.
Geraldine Ssali Busuulwa. PHOTO/FILE/MICHAEL KAKUMIRIZI
According to the report, men consume more than women, with an average of 19.93 litres of pure alcohol each year compared to 4.88 percent liters per woman.
Ssali encouraged brewers to continue sensitizing communities on the dangers of alcohol abuse despite acknowledging that alcohol manufacturers are among the top taxpayers in the country.
“Last month, when we were looking at the top five taxpayer companies in the country, UBL was identified as number two among the top five,” Ms. Ssali revealed.
The UBL managing director Andrew Kilonzo said the level of unemployment in the country has continued to be a great challenge among the youth and therefore such interventions like training the youth to engage in formal business is of great importance.
