You are here: HomeAfricaBBC2023 06 26Article 1793051

BBC Pidgin of Monday, 26 June 2023

Source: BBC

WHO report on top alcohol consumption for Nigeria call for concern - Doctor

File foto File foto

Alcohol dey very important for di human race, even though many pipo dey abuse am directly or indirectly.

Dis na becos of di plenti tins sabi pipo dey use am do, especially for di health care sector.

However, World Health Organization (WHO) say di use of alcohol don reduce for Africa and Europe.

Di organization data on alcohol consumtion for Nigeria call for concern, na so Dr Yeibake Silver tok.

For inside dia 2023 report, wey cover di period of 2019 till 2022 di ogbonge health body say di use of alcohol drop for Africa by 18 percent and for Europe by 17 percent.

Wetin di WHO Alcohol report tok

For di 2023 World Health Statistics key messages on alcohol, di Organization say di world don see notable improvements for population health for di world since di beginning of di millennium.

So far, WHO say child mortality don reduce by half, maternal mortality drop by a third, infectious diseases like HIV, tuberculosis and Malaria reduce too.

Risk of premature death from dying from non-communicable diseases also reduce.

Global life expectancy rise from 67 years for year 2000 to 73 years for 2019.

WHO say “all dis progress na sake of improved access to essential health services wey reduce exposure to health risks, tobacco use alcohol consumption and child malnutrition”.

WHO say even though oda aspects of health risk reduce well well, di risk exposure dey very high with alcohol consumption.

According to WHO statistics “total alcohol per capita (15 +years) consumption drop at di global level since 2015, dis na afta e increase between 2005-2010 and come over increase for 2010 to 2015.

Total consumption na 5.5 litres of pure alcohol per capita dis na for pipo wey dey 15 years and above for 2019.

Alcohol consumption between men and women

Di figures no be di same across di world.

For Africa WHO say alcohol use reduce by 18 percent between 2000-2019.

So WHO European region say dem experience ‘sizeable decline by 17 percent between 2000-2019.

For America dem no move at all dem just dey one place wit zero percent.

South East Asia increase by 112 percent while di Western Pacific increase by 40 percent.

WHO say men sey consume more alcohol pass women per capita.

Di statistic show say women dey consume almost 8.7 litres compared to 2.2 wey women sey consume.

WHO say alcohol dey affect pipo health well well and “fewer dan 1 inside 5 pipo don receive treatment for alcohol disorders, less dan one inside 10 for low and lower middle income kontris and about one inside 8 of pipo wey get drug disorder.

Benefits of alcohol despite di data

Dr Yeibake Weriwoyingipri Silver wey be Senior Registrar Faculty of Paediatrics, West African College of Physicians tell BBC Pidgin say alcohol get im good parts too, if pipo use am well.

“E Dey reduce di risk of heart disease. E dey decrease di risk of diabetes, e dey help social bonding to make pipo relax well and e dey relief pain,” e tok.

Im add say dem dey use am as preservatives for food and medicine make e no quick spoil.

Di sabi pesin disinfectant and cleaning agent and dem dey use am for cooking and baking.

However, if you over use am and abuse am e go cause kasala for your body.

Wetin be di dangers of alcohol?

Di dangers of alcohol abuse plenti and to find out more, BBC Pidgin follow one medical expert tok.

Dr Silver say di alcohol consumption profile wey WHO give for Nigeria call for concern.

“For 2016 di estimated total per capita na 12.28 litres wey high pass di average consumption for di African region wey be 6.5 litres.”

According to am, even though di consumption drop for Africa di dangers of alcohol still full evri wia.

Some of di dangers of alcohol according to him include;

  • Liver cirrhosis: Dis na scarring stiffening of di liver sake of long-term injury wey dey make am harder or unable to function properly or at all.

  • Oda liver diseases too and dis fit lead to death for severe cases. E dey estimated say liver diseases wey alcohol consumption dey cause account for 16.7 percent of all deaths from liver diseases.

  • High blood pressure: Alcohol abuse dey linked to high blood pressure wey be a major risk for heart disease and stroke. For Nigeria e dey estimated say alcohol consumption contribute to 13.5 percent of all deaths wey cardiovascular diseases dey cause.


  • Mental health problems: Alcohol abuse dey lead to mental health problems like depression, anxiety - and too much dependence on alcohol and 5.3 percent of di Nigerian population dey suffer from alcohol dependence.

  • Violence and injuries: Alcohol abuse na major contributor to violence and injuries. E dey also cause road traffic accidents, falls and homicides.


  • For Nigeria e dey estimated say alcohol abuse dey contribute to 26 percent of all death for road traffic accidents.