Alcohol responsible for 2,6 m death annually-WHO

Rumbidzayi Zinyuke
Health Reporter

A new report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) has revealed that nearly 2,6 million deaths reported each year are linked to alcohol consumption, translating to 4,7 percent of all deaths worldwide.

The report, “Global status report on alcohol and health and treatment of substance use disorders,” provides a comprehensive analysis of the public health impact of alcohol and drug use.

The launch of the WHO report comes as the world today observed the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (World Drug Day) and serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of alcohol, which is commonly consumed in Zimbabwe alongside drugs like marijuana, codeine-based substances (broncleer), and illicit brews (tumbwa).

According to the report, an estimated 400 million people globally lived with alcohol and drug use disorders in 2019 with 209 million of them struggling with alcohol dependence.

The European and African regions were the most affected by the fatalities attributed to alcohol consumption.
An estimated 1,6 million alcohol-related deaths stemmed from non-communicable diseases while nearly half a million deaths were from cardiovascular diseases and another 401 000 from cancers.

The impact of alcohol consumption extended beyond physical health, contributing to a significant number of injuries (724 000 deaths) through traffic accidents, self-harm, and violence.

Additionally, 284 000 deaths were linked to communicable diseases. Alcohol consumption weakens the immune system, making individuals more susceptible to infections like HIV and tuberculosis.