09 Jul 2015

Consumption of alcohol declined in 2011 among adults after the introduction of campaign against harmful use of alcohol in Botswana in 2008, says Assistant Minister of Health, Dr Alfred Madigele has told Parliament.

“The total adult per capita consumption has declined from eight litres to seven liters in 2011.

The data is from the evaluation of the alcohol levy in Botswana that was carried out in 2012,” he said.

He said the 2012 evaluation of the levy indicated that the per capita alcohol consumption in Botswana was higher than the regional average of 6.2 litres, which was reported by the World Health Organisation in 2011. “My ministry’s objective is to see the per capita consumption of alcohol in Botswana drop well below this regional average.

My ministry does not have any recent statistical data that indicate that lately there has been an increase in alcohol consumption in the country,” Dr Madigele said. He said his ministry was planning to conduct another evaluation this financial year.

Mogoditshane MP, Mr Sedirwa Kgoroba had asked the minister to give statistical data indicating that the introduction of alcohol levy decreased consumption of alcohol.

Also, he wanted him to state the reason behind the latest increase in alcohol consumption. Ends