Liberia: Civil Society Requests Better Alcohol Control
Civil society organization Liberia Alcohol Policy Alliance (LAPA) driven by Movendi International members, is calling for better alcohol control measures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The alliance is calling on the Liberian government to impose stringent restrictions on the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages in the country. LAPA in a press release stated the following reasons for requesting stronger restrictions on alcohol:
- Alcohol is harmful to health in general.
- Alcohol increases the risk of injury and violence including intimate partner violence.
- Alcohol consumption can exacerbate health vulnerability risk-taking behaviors.
- Alcohol use increases mental health issues.
- Alcohol fueled violence victimizes women and children.
- Alcohol consumption is associated with communicable and non-communicable diseases, including mental health disorder, which can make a person more vulnerable to COVID-19.Â
- Alcohol consumption weakens the immune system.Â
LAPA stands with the World Health Organization recommendations that alcohol use does not protect anyone from COVID-19 and only increases vulnerability to the virus.
The organization also addressed the harmful myth circulating that strong alcohol can kill COVID-19, stating that this is dangerous and can have serious health consequences. For example, the same myth resulted in deaths in Iran recently.
LAPA advocates that this is the best time to minimize alcohol consumption and safeguard health.
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