WHO process to develop an alcohol action plan

Starting with a discussion at the 72nd World Health Assembly in 2019 WHO embarked on a process leading to the 75th World Health Assembly in 2022 getting ready for discussing a WHO alcohol action plan 2022-2030. Below is an overview over developments along with GAPA positions throughout this process.

Report on the implementation of the Global strategy and the way forward

The World Health Organization (WHO) ‘Global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol’ was endorsed at the World Health Assembly in 2010. Aproaching 10 years of implementation the World Health Assembly (WHA) in May 2019 requested the WHO Director-General to “to report to the Seventy-third World Health Assembly in 2020, through the Executive Board, on the implementation of WHO’s global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol during the first decade since its endorsement, and the way forward”.

Following the WHA the WHO Secretariat started the working on the report, including a consultation process with Member States and non-state actors. WHO issued a discussion paper outlining the implementation of the global strategy and opportunities for the way forward.

Analysis of submissions to WHO consultation

The WHO Secretariat work on the assignment “to report to the Seventy-third World Health Assembly in 2020, through the Executive Board, on the implementation of WHO’s global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol during the first decade since its endorsement, and the way forward” included a consultation on some key questions.

June Leung analysed the submissions to the WHO consultation. A total of 189 submissions were received. They included 29 submissions from member states and governmental institutions, four from UN system and other intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), seven from academic institutions, 107 from non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and 42 from private sector entities.

WHO Executive Board decision to develop an action plan

In February 2020, the WHO Executive Board in its decision EB146 (14) called for accelerated action to reduce the harmful use of alcohol. The Board requested the WHO Director-General “to develop an action plan (2022-2030) to effectively implement the Global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol as a public health priority, in consultation with Member States and relevant stakeholders.”

Working document on the action plan

Analysis of submissions to the Working Document consultation

In the Working Document consultation a total of 251 submissions was received. Jene Leung analysed the submissions and wrote a paper summarising the findings. More than half of the submissions came from civil society organisations, about a quarter from industry organisations. The remaining were from governmental institutions, and from organisations with unknown affiliations. In comparison to the 2019 web-based consultation on ‘implementation of the Global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol and the way forward’, entities representing the alcohol industry had substantially increased their number of submissions (from 43 to 63). In addition, in the last category, organisations with unknown affiliations, many were think tanks belonging to the Atlas Network, which was funded by the tobacco industry and consistently opposed the alcohol policy “best buys”.  

First draft

WHO released the first draft of the Global alcohol action plan in late July 2021. It was based on the previous Working Document and comments received during the open consultation. An online consultation on the Global alcohol action plan, first draft, was opened until 3 September 2021.

In it’s submission GAPA expressed that there had been improvements in several aspects of the document since the Working Document, but we also pointed out that there were several challenges remaining. In response to WHO’s explicit request for brief submissions with main points, GAPA developed some key points.

Second draft

The second draft of the WHO alcohol action plan was released in early October 2021 for consultation with Member States only. CivilSociety was not invited to make submissions for the consultation, but an updated ‘Key points’ document was developed reflecting GAPA’s position on the second draft.

Final draft presented to the 150th WHO Executive Board meeting

Alcohol Action Plan goes to the World Health Assembly

The WHO Alcohol Action Plan will be coming up at the 75th World Health Assembly (WHA) in the end of May 2022. Following its recommendation for adoption by the WHO Executive Board meeting (EB150) in January, GAPA is welcoming the final adoption of the action plan. If however Members States choose to open for negotiation of the text, GAPA has issued some key points policy position, with recommendations summarised in a one-page document and issued a joint statement together with the World Medical Association.