Pacific health experts seek ways to win their battle of the booze

By ANGELA GREGORY

Twenty years ago, prohibition kept alcohol at bay in some Pacific Island countries.

But cheap alcohol is now sold widely through the region, and rising rates of problem drinking are worrying health advisers.

Dr Harley Stanton, health promotion adviser for the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, said the abuse of alcohol was a concern in Pacific countries, many of which were virtually alcohol-free 20 to 40 years ago.

Dr Stanton said alcohol consumption varied significantly in the region.

In some countries, such as Tuvalu and the Solomon Islands, 20 to 30 per cent of the population drank alcohol, but rates were higher in the Cook Islands, French Polynesia and New Caledonia.

Of those who drank alcohol, up to 30 per cent were heavy drinkers, displaying problems such as memory loss or behavioural problems such as sexual harassment or abuse.

Dr Stanton said alcohol was increasingly emerging as a problem in Fiji, but like most Pacific countries it had no plans on how to deal with it.

Research indicated that in Fiji, 6 per cent of the average family budget was spent on alcohol and it was directly involved in about 20 per cent of road accidents and 11 per cent of hospitalisations.

In French Polynesia, alcohol was said to be the leading cause of road accidents and 700 patients were receiving treatment for alcoholism.

Research showed drinking was most prevalent among men, but more women were drinking, and youth drinking was a great concern.

"I have visited Kiribati for many years, and it is quite common to see young men wandering down roads drunk in the middle of the day," Dr Stanton said.

Alcohol was readily available. Many Pacific countries produced their own products, and New Zealand and Australian brands were easy to get.

A meeting of health officials from 19 countries in New Caledonia last week said strong political commitment was needed to support and finance co-ordinated responses to alcohol problems.

Dr Stanton told the Herald it was the first regional meeting to look at the issue in 20 years and was mainly made possible through the encouragement of New Zealand's Ministry of Health.

"The problem is there has been little data collection, it's been sporadic over the years."

Researchers' studies showed alcohol consumption in Pacific countries was increasing and was often marked by binge drinking.

The meeting had been concerned that if the Pacific Islands Countries Trade Agreement was implemented next year, import taxes on tobacco and alcohol would be phased out, reducing their prices.

Dr Stanton said the problems were compounded in nations where the lack of restrictions on alcohol consumption suited some individuals in power as they had financial interests in the liquor industry.

Countries needed to develop plans and policies to deal with alcohol use and he hoped new regional structures such as the Pacific police training project in Fiji would help.

Dr Stanton said there were encouraging signs, such as the Pacific leading the less-developed countries in implementing the World Health Organisation surveillance programme to monitor trends in areas such as alcohol, tobacco and nutrition.


Alcohol and the Pacific

* Harm caused by alcohol has serious consequences for public health, social and economic welfare.

* Alcohol consumption is one of the most important risk factors for ill-health and premature death.

* Alcohol plays a major role in violent deaths, including drink driving fatalities, homicide and suicide, and domestic violence.

* Taxation is an effective way of reducing the harm done by alcohol.

* Strong political commitment is necessary to achieve change.