Coming up to the 75th World Health Assembly (WHA) deliberations on the Global Alcohol Action Plan the World Medical Association (WMA) and the Global Alcohol Policy Alliance (GAPA) have issued a joint statement welcoming the WHO commitment to boost the dynamic by developing an action plan (2022-2030) to effectively implement the Global strategy on alcohol.

The WHO Alcohol Action Plan will be coming up at the 75th World Health Assembly (WHA) in the end of May 2022. GAPA has issued the following policy position for the WHO deliberation of the Alcohol Action Plan.

In March World Health Organization European Regional Office conducted a public consultation to reduce alcohol consumption. GAPA made a submission.

GAPA congratulates the World Heart Federation with the publication of its policy brief: The Impact of Alcohol Consumption on Cardiovascular Health: Myths and Measures. In support of the policy brief GAPA issued the short statement.

On January 27th the World Health Organisation (WHO) Executive Board (EB) meeting adopted a decision recommending the World Health Assembly (WHA) in May 2022 to adopt the “Draft action plan (2022–2030) to effectively implement the global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol as a public health priority”.

For the discussion in the WHO Executive Board or any intersessional meetings, GAPA wants to ensure the text of the draft alcohol action plan is not weakened and want to promote some key issues.

At the GAPA board meeting in December 2021 Dr Kumnuan Ungsuchak resigned from the GAPA board and three new board members were elected.

In the WHO process to develop an Alcohol action plan, a second draft has been prepared for consultation with Member States. GAPA has issued some Key points on the second draft.

GAPA key points on the 1st draft of the WHO Global alcohol action plan

The Global Alcohol Policy Alliance has followed with interest the debate around issuing alcohol licences at petrol stations in South Africa and in a letter to Presiden Cyril Ramaphosa raised concern over the present development.