The 2024 WAAPA Technical Assistance and Advocacy Visit in Nigeria 12th – 19th May 2024
As part of WAAPA’s Technical Assistance and Advocacy Visit to Nigeria, Mr. Issah Ali, Head of WAAPA Secretariat, made a courtesy call to Prof Isidore Obot, Former Vice Chairman of GAPA and WAAPA Board Member, in his office in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Mr Ali briefed Prof Obot on WAAPA’s Observer Status with the WHO Regional Committee for Africa, as well as the challenges of establishing long-term relationship with the some regional organizations following the Covid-19 pandemic. Mr Ali detailed new plans to follow up with regional organizations. After the meeting with Prof Obot, Mr Ali visited CRISA Library and interacted briefly with staff.
As part of the visit, CSOs capacity building workshop was held for ASAAHN members, at the workshop Mr. Issah Ali took participants through the Global Alcohol Action Plan. He highlighted the key elements of the “African Regional Framework for Implementing the Global Alcohol Action Plan, 2022-2023”. He shed more light on the current situation on alcohol, issues and challenges, vision, goal, objectives, targets of the framework, guiding principles, priority intervention and actions of implementing the African Regional framework of the Global Alcohol Action Plan (GAAP) 2022-2030 in the WHO African Region.
He noted that the objective of the Regional Framework is to increase implementation and enforcement of high-impact policies options and interventions through legislation/regulations, while some guiding principles are Evidence-based approach, empowering of people and communities, human rights approach and protection from commercial interests. Mr. Ali concluded by stating that some priority interventions and actions of the framework included the establishment of partnerships and multi-sectorial coordination mechanism, development of multi-sectorial alcohol harm reduction policies.
He again took participants through the Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health-2018 for Nigeria, Mr Ali focused his attention on the Policies and interventions indicators. He highlighted that, according to the report, Nigeria does not have National Alcohol Policy and other key related interventions which includes the National legal minimum age for off-premises sales of alcoholic beverages, National legal minimum age for on-premises sales of alcoholic beverages, Restrictions for off and on premises sales of alcoholic beverages, High Blood Alcohol Concentration when driving a vehicle, Legally binding regulations on alcohol advertising/product placement, Legally binding regulation on alcohol sales promotion, Legally required health warning labels on alcohol advertisements and National alcohol consumption monitoring system.
Additionally, WAAPA Secretariat and ASAAHN representative engaged the Director of Food and Drug Services at the Federal Ministry of Health in Abuja, on the importance of the WHO Africa Regional Framework on Implementing the Global Alcohol Action Plan (GAAP) to Nigeria and Africa as a whole and the Nigeria specific report on the Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health (GSRAH), Some copies of the Africa GAAP Framework, Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health (GSRAH), and SAFER flyer were presented to the Director.
As part of the visit Mr Ali visited Network for Health Equity and Development (NHED) who are involved in health related advocacy campaign. They provided additional information about their successful advocacy efforts for the enactment of TFA Regulations in Nigeria.
During the technical assistance visit, Mr Ali also engaged with the Executive Director; Mr Ayedun Taiwo of Narconon Nigeria Initiative who are involved in alcohol and drug prevention activities.
