People battling alcohol dependence need Shs. 2 Million every month for treatment
Richard Baguma, a Consultant with Uganda Alcoholic Policy Alliance, said about 20 Alcohol rehabilitation centres in Kampala, Wakiso and Mpigi, are all full and many many people there are those of the well off.
Experts have urged Parliament to pass into law the Alcoholic Drinks Control Bill, citing the high cost of treating people battling alcohol dependence and abuse, saying that on average, each patient requires Shs2M monthly, and Shs24M annually for treatment in a rehabilitation facility.
Richard Baguma, a Consultant with Uganda Alcoholic Policy Alliance, said about 20 Alcohol rehabilitation centres in Kampala, Wakiso and Mpigi, are all full and many many people there are those of the well off.
“Our estimate is that it costs about Shs2M per month in a rehabilitation centre. How many people have Shs24M per year because it takes between 8-12 months to treat. This is what we see on a daily basis,” he said.
According to David Kalema the Executive Director, Hope and Beyond Alcohol and Drugs Treatment Centre, when addressing a matter of concern like this, it’s not easy to go without meeting resistance.
“We won’t say that we won’t be challenged, but for us, we are at the end. You come to our rehab, you will shed tears, they are full to capacity with young people, go to Butabika, there is no more admission in Butabika. You can’t get direct admission there and the leading cause is this (alcohol), he said.
Albert Elwa, former alcohol abuser, called for the establishment of more rehabilitation centres to save lives, saying he received rehabilitation for alcohol abuse for 15years and ended up losing his esophagus after acquiring esophageal (cancer of esophagus).
“When you look at the ratio of dependence to treatment, in a country of 45 million people, we have about 4-5million people dependent on alcohol, this calls for the area of us setting up rehabilitation centres. If there is a way, we strongly appeal to go back to the drawing board and see ways of coming up with the Alcohol Fund. It will support enforcement and also support initiatives towards treatment,” said Elwa.
The Ministry of Health through the Mental Health Department conducted a comprehensive qualitative study to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of childhood alcohol use.
The results of the study, meticulously researched and analysed, revealed that approximately 25% of the children surveyed had consumed alcohol at some point in their lives. This revelation indicated that childhood alcohol use was more prevalent than previously assumed.
Further analysis of the study’s data revealed that the majority of children who consumed alcohol started doing so before the age of 15. More than 60% of the surveyed children admitted to trying alcohol between the ages of 12 and 14. These numbers stressed the immediate need for early intervention strategies to prevent underage drinking.
Several risk factors were identified as significant contributors to childhood alcohol use. Peer pressure was found to be influential in persuading children to experiment with alcohol. Secondly, the low socioeconomic status and food insecurity were identified to be significant risk factors.
Additionally, Parental alcohol use and lack of supervision were also identified as risk factors, as children tend to mimic the behaviors they observe at home. Not forgetting, exposure to alcohol marketing and advertising played a role in encouraging children to consume alcohol.
