Actions to prevent alcohol harm withing the framework of SAFER

Actions to prevent alcohol harm withing the framework of SAFER
Actions to prevent alcohol harm withing the framework of SAFER

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) cordially invites you to attend the webinar Actions to Prevent Alcohol Harm in the Framework of SAFER, which will take place on Wednesday, December 4th, at 9:00 am (Washington DC or EST).

This is the first in a new series of eight webinars aimed at providing tools to support the implementation of SAFER in the countries of the Americas. The first session will provide a review of SAFER interventions globally, and a panel to present the challenges and progress in country implementation.

This series of webinars is aimed especially at representatives of Ministries of Health -especially those working in the areas of NCDs, alcohol and psychoactive substances-, Ministries of Finance and/or national customs; Ministries of Justice; Ministries of Education; Ministries of Interior and police; territorial government secretariats; civil society actors; researchers and professors from academia, study and research centers; and advisors and technical referents from PAHO/WHO country offices.

 


How to participate


Agenda

  • Opening and Welcome.
    • Renato Oliveira. Chief of Mental Health and Substance Use Unit, PAHO.
  • Presentation of the agenda and guests 
    • Leonardo Garcia, Consultant on Substance Use of Psychoactive Substances, PAHO
  • Global Action Plan - SAFER interventions at the global level. 
    • Dag Rekve. Acting Head of Unit, WHO
  • Panel and discussion: National progress in the implementation of SAFER actions: facilitating factors and challenges.
    • Moderator: Juan Tello. Head of Unit Less Alcohol.
    • Nubia Bautista. Coordinator, Group "Convivencia Social  y Ciudadanía", Ministry of Health, Colombia.
    • Agustina Luque.  Project coordinator, Coalition Healthy America (CLAS)
    • Representative of the Ministry of Health, Chile (tbc)
  • Conclusions and closing of the event. 
    • Renato Oliveira. Chief of Mental Health and Substance Use Unit, PAHO.

Context

In the Americas, 385,966 annual deaths have been linked to alcohol consumption, which is associated with numerous diseases and injuries, such as cirrhosis, cancer, cardiovascular problems, and neuropsychiatric and mental health disorders. The mortality rate for alcohol use disorders is 2.9 per 100,000 inhabitants, and years of healthy life lost in 2019 were 389 per 100,000 people (Pan American Health Organization, 2024).

The scale of health and social burdens attributable to alcohol is largely preventable, making the prevention and reduction of alcohol use a public health priority. Since the adoption of the global strategy by member states in 2010 to reduce alcohol consumption, efforts have been reinforced by United Nations General Assembly declarations on Non-Communicable Diseases. In 2019, the global action plan was extended to 2030 to align with the 2030 Agenda, as reducing alcohol use will directly contribute to achieving the SDGs (World Health Organization, 2021).

Updates to the Global Action Plan identified cost-effective interventions for reducing alcohol use, forming the basis of the SAFER initiative. This initiative aims to support member states in reducing alcohol-related harms, strengthening the implementation of the global strategy to reduce alcohol consumption, and other WHO instruments (World Health Organization, 2021).

The SAFER technical package focuses on five interventions aimed at reducing alcohol-related harms: reducing alcohol availability, increasing taxes, regulating marketing and advertising, strengthening measures against drunk driving, and enhancing care systems, screening, and brief interventions (Pan American Health Organization, 2020).

Time in other cities

  • 6:00 a.m.– Los Angeles, Vancouver.
  • 8:00 a.m. - Tegucigalpa, San Salvador, San Jose (CR), Mexico City, Managua, Guatemala City, Belmopan.
  • 9:00 a.m. – Bogota, Panama City, Kingston, Lima, Quito, Washington D.C., Havana, Nassau, Ottawa, Port-au-Prince.
  • 10:00 a.m. – Caracas, Port of Spain, La Paz, San Juan, Santo Domingo, Georgetown, Bridgetown.
  • 11:00 a.m. - Asunción, Buenos Aires, Brasilia, Montevideo, Santiago, Paramaribo.
  • 3:00 p.m. – Geneva, Madrid.

For other cities, please check local time at the following link.