Reducing the harmful use of alcohol is one of the cornerstones of preventing and controlling non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The Political Declaration of the third United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting of the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases outlines the need for full, active and responsible engagement and participation of all relevant stakeholders to combat NCDs- including engaging the private sector, and civil society, for a whole of society approach.
‘Time to Deliver’, the 2018 Report of the WHO Independent High-Level Commission on Noncommunicable Diseases, explicitly outlines the positive impact of public private partnerships- especially in harnessing technological innovation and engaging with economic producers of alcohol for better global health and development outcomes.
This Wilton Park series aims to chart a positive and productive way forward to reduce the harmful use of alcohol and build a roadmap for a whole of society approach. By convening those from across public, private and civil society sectors to build trust and engagement, the series seeks to build consensus and common purpose on how alcohol producers can best support global efforts to improve health and reduce the harmful use of alcohol.
Following on from the first event of the series that took place at Wiston House in Sussex in the UK, this event will take place in South Africa, the first event in the series that is regionally focused. As WHO states, “there is no other consumer product as widely available as alcohol that accounts for as much premature death and disability”1 in the region. The meeting seeks to explore new and innovative methods of reducing the harmful use of alcohol in a manner that accounts for national, religious and cultural context within sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).
