1.2 million Ugandans struggle with alcohol use disorder - govt

At least 1.2 million Ugandans aged 15 years and above are struggling with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), the Division of Mental Health at the Health Ministry has indicated. 

AUD, according to scientists, is a medical condition characterised by an impaired ability to stop or control alcohol use despite adverse social, occupational, or health consequences. 

Dr Hafsa Lukwata, the assistant commissioner for mental health and control of substance abuse at the ministry, said the sufferers need care so that they can be productive. 

“We are also seeing an increasing rate of people with alcohol use disorders. We have found that over 60 percent of Ugandans are using alcohol. I have been told that 40 percent of the population are taking alcohol daily,” she said. 

Dr Lukwata said as a result of the increasing consumption of alcohol, there are those who need rehabilitation or treatment.
 “We are also seeing that 7.4 percent of people have alcohol use disorder, meaning they have become so terrible that they need care. They cannot function without alcohol, they cannot do anything without taking alcohol,” she said.

She added: “Uganda has the highest prevalence of people who are using alcohol [in Africa] and of course that is not good for our development.” 
Dr Lukwata said 7.4 percent of  people who drink have AUD. She said the 7.4 percent of AUD translates into 174,000 Ugandans struggling with the vice. She told our reporter that the AUD figures are specifically for Ugandans 15 years and above.

However, our calculations found that the actual number of people struggling with AUD is higher. Figures from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) indicate that those aged 15 years and above are 26.8 million. Our calculations show that 60 percent of the above is 16 million people (people who use alcohol). And 7.4 percent of the 16 million is 1.2 million (people with AUD), which is several times higher than the 174,000 she mentioned.

When our reporter reached back to her for clarification, she said: “Among the people that use alcohol, 7.4 percent of them have alcohol use disorder. So, calculate it that way, the figure you get is what you quote.”

Ugandans, World Health Organisation (WHO) said in August, currently consume more than 12 litres of pure alcohol per year per capita. However, less than 50 percent of the population consumes alcohol, meaning that the few who do drink are drinking too much, a challenge that WHO said “demands immediate action.” 

The per capita consumption of alcohol, WHO noted, “is much higher than the African region average of 6.3 litres, and the global average of 6.18 litres per person per year reflected in the WHO global status report on alcohol and health, 2018.” 

A recent study in Mbale, which the Health ministry said mirrors what is happening in other parts of the country, found that 25 percent of children aged six to 13 were using alcohol. The researcher, Dr Joyce Nalugya-Sserunjogi, a psychiatrist at Makerere University College of Health Sciences, said both girls and boys are drinking almost at the same rate. 

Dr Lukwata on the other hand, blamed the high consumption on weak alcohol control laws and high stress levels in the population. She said the alcohol and drug units in Butabika hospital and other regional referrals hospitals are either full or overwhelmed with those coming for care.

Action (stop access for the poor)

“When it comes to alcohol, there is a private member’s Bill that we are expecting in Parliament. It is going to come out very soon. We want to reduce the availability of alcohol. We want to make sure that alcohol is not sold anytime,” Dr Lukwata said. 

“People should not take alcohol at all. There should be a time when people can go to the bar and take their alcohol. Not every shop should be selling alcohol in the country. We also want to increase the volumes of alcohol packaged,” she said.   The assistant commissioner said small volumes are inciting young people to take alcohol.