122nd Session Agenda item 4.7
EB122.R2 23 January 2008
Strategies to reduce the harmful use of alcohol The Executive Board, Having considered the report on strategies to reduce the harmful use of alcohol,1 RECOMMENDS to the Sixty-first World Health Assembly the adoption of the following resolution: The Sixty-first World Health Assembly, Having considered the report on strategies to reduce the harmful use of alcohol and the further guidance on strategies and policy element options therein; Reaffirming resolutions WHA32.40 on development of the WHO programme on alcoholrelated problems, WHA36.12 on alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems: development of national policies and programmes, WHA42.20 on prevention and control of drug and alcohol abuse and WHA57.16 on health promotion and healthy lifestyles; Recalling resolution WHA58.26 on public-health problems caused by harmful use of alcohol and decision WHA60(10); Noting the report by the Secretariat presented to the Sixtieth World Health Assembly on evidence-based strategies and interventions to reduce alcohol-related harm, including the addendum on a global assessment of public health problems caused by harmful use of alcohol;2 Noting the second report of the WHO Expert Committee on Problems Related to Alcohol Consumption3 and acknowledging that effective strategies and interventions that target the general population, vulnerable groups, individuals and specific problems are available and should be optimally combined in order to reduce alcohol-related harm; Mindful that such strategies and interventions must be implemented in a way that takes into account different national, religious and cultural contexts, including national public health problems, needs and priorities, and differences in Member States’ resources, capacities and capabilities;
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Documents EB122/10 and EB122/10 Corr.1. Documents A60/14 and A60/14 Add.1. WHO Technical Report Series, No. 944, 2007.
EB122.R2
Deeply concerned by the extent of public health problems associated with harmful use of alcohol, including injuries and violence, and possible links to certain communicable diseases, thereby adding to the disease burden, in both developing and developed countries; Mindful that international cooperation in reducing public-health problems caused by the harmful use of alcohol is intensifying, and of the need to mobilize the necessary support at global and regional levels, 1. URGES Member States: (1) to collaborate with the Secretariat in developing a draft global strategy on harmful use of alcohol based on all evidence and best practices, in order to support and complement public health policies in Member States, with special emphasis on an integrated approach to protect at-risk populations, young people and those affected by harmful drinking of others; (2) to develop, in interaction with relevant stakeholders, national systems for monitoring alcohol consumption, its health and social consequences and the policy responses, and to report regularly to WHO’s regional and global information systems; (3) to consider strengthening national responses, as appropriate and where necessary, to public health problems caused by harmful use of alcohol, on the basis of evidence on effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of strategies and interventions to reduce alcoholrelated harm generated in different contexts; 2. REQUESTS the Director-General: (1) to prepare a draft global strategy to reduce harmful use of alcohol that is based on all available evidence and existing best practices and that addresses relevant policy options, taking into account different national, religious and cultural contexts, including national public health problems, needs and priorities, and differences in Member States’ resources, capacities and capabilities; (2) to ensure that the draft global strategy will be composed of a set of proposed measures recommended for states to implement at the national level taking into account the national circumstances of each country; (3) to include full details of ongoing and emerging regional, subregional and national processes as vital contributions to a global strategy; (4) to collaborate and consult with Member States as well as with intergovernmental organizations, health professionals, nongovernmental organizations and economic operators on ways they could contribute to reducing harmful use of alcohol; (5) to submit to the Sixty-third World Health Assembly, through the Executive Board, a draft global strategy to reduce harmful use of alcohol. Fourth meeting, 22 January 2008 EB122/SR/4 = 2
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