WHO to Support Vietnam in Deploying Alcohol Harm Prevention Law: Official

The World Health Organization (WHO) is committed to supporting Vietnam in general and the Health Ministry (MoH) in particular in implementing the Law on Alcohol Harm Prevention, said WHO’s Chief Representative in Vietnam Kidong Park. Mr. Park made the statement at a conference in Hanoi on October 16 on guiding the enactment of the law. At the event, Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien noted that Vietnam is among the countries with the highest rate of males drinking. The adoption of the law is an urgent measure to prevent alcohol-related risks such as non-communicable diseases, traffic accidents, violence, crimes, and ease burdens on the whole society. Adopted by the National Assembly on June 14 as the country’s first complete Law On Alcohol Harm Prevention, it will become effective on January 1, 2020. The MoH is also gathering opinions banning sales of alcoholic drinks in more places. In 2016, Vietnam ranked the third in Asia and 64th worldwide in beer and spirit consumption. The average of using these products may hit seven liters per head in 2025. (Bo Y Te, moh, InfoNet, Tin Tuc, viettimes, Suc Khoe Doi Song, Dan Tri, VTV)