WESTERN PACIFIC: The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a regional advocacy campaign titled “Alcohol Leaves a Mark” to raise awareness and promote policies against alcohol-related harms in the Western Pacific Region.
According to the WHO, alcohol kills nearly one person every minute in the region, a toll amounting to over 500,000 deaths annually. The organization reports that alcohol use is linked to more than 200 diseases and injuries, affecting not just those who drink but entire families and communities.
“Alcohol is no ordinary commodity. It is a discretionary, non-essential product that harms not only those who consume it, but also others,” said Dr. Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific. “We must urgently raise awareness and drive action. Governments have the tools, simple yet effective, to regulate alcohol, reduce its harms and protect the most vulnerable.”
The campaign, announced following the seventy-sixth WHO Regional Committee Meeting (RCM76) held in Fiji from October 20 to 24, follows a resolution on alcohol control endorsed by all 38 Member States and areas in the region. It seeks to motivate governments to implement stronger alcohol policies and counter its normalization in society.
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Through videos, posters and social media storytelling, Alcohol Leaves a Mark illustrates how alcohol consumption fuels diseases, family separation, road crashes, and violence. Each campaign story underscores that “the real cost of alcohol is paid by people and communities,” the WHO stated.
The WHO said the campaign is not just awareness-driven but calls for “collective and policy-based action.” Dr. Piukala emphasized that regulation is essential to protect children and young people from alcohol’s influence. “Once we recognize how deeply alcohol harms our loved ones and communities, it becomes clear that regulation must be put in place to protect them,” he said.
Evidence from the WHO indicates that per-capita alcohol consumption in the Western Pacific averaged 5.2 litres in 2022, surpassing the global average of 5.0 litres. The report warned that without urgent regulatory measures, consumption levels may rise further, fueled by digital marketing targeting the youth.
The campaign aligns with the WHO Global Alcohol Action Plan 2022–2030 and the SAFER Technical Package, which recommend cost-effective strategies for governments. These include raising taxes on alcohol, restricting availability, banning advertising, enforcing drink-driving laws, and providing treatment for alcohol use disorders.
Dr. Hiromasa Okayasu, Director of Health Promotion at the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific, reinforced the evidence behind such interventions. “Every policy that reduces alcohol use, when implemented and enforced, saves lives,” he said. “We can no longer afford to see alcohol harm as inevitable, it is preventable and evidence-based policies work.”
Health ministers across the Western Pacific have endorsed alcohol control as a public health priority. The WHO expressed optimism that this new campaign would build momentum for reform and mobilize communities to act.
“Together, we can reveal alcohol’s harms — and prevent new ones from happening,” Dr. Piukala said in closing. “Join the movement. Share the campaign. Support stronger alcohol regulation.