Eastern Cape Liquor Board to commemorate the International Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Day
ECLB
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Media Release
07 September 2023
Eastern Cape Liquor Board to commemorate the International Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Day
The Eastern Cape Liquor Board (ECLB) in partnership with various stakeholders will commemorate the International Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Day on the 08 September 2023 in Burgersdorp.
The theme of the FASD campaign is “Protect your unborn baby, do not drink during pregnancy”.
Burgersdorp in Joe Gqabi District Municipality is regarded as one of the areas with high cases of FAS.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) as the most severe form of these disorders, is the most common cause of permanent mental disability in the world. According to the World Health Association the prevalence of FASD in the world is projected to less than 1%. South Africa has the highest reported FASD prevalence rates in the world, with rates as high as 28 - 31% in some communities. The WHO estimates that South Africa’s overall rate might be as high is 11%.
The FASD is a condition in a child that results from alcohol exposure during mother’s pregnancy. Alcohol can cause problems for a developing baby throughout pregnancy, including before a woman knows she’s pregnant. All types of alcohol are equally harmful, including all wines and beer. There is no safe amount of alcohol to consume during pregnancy or even when trying to get pregnant. A cure for FAS has not yet been discovered but it is preventable by ensuring that a baby is not exposed to alcohol before birth.
ECLB will use International FASD Commemoration Day in Burgersdorp to call to everyone to act against the scourge of FASD and to embrace the message of “Protect your unborn baby, do not drink during pregnancy”.
Media is, therefore, cordially invited to be part of the campaign that will seek to empower communities on how to prevent the rise in cases of the FASD.
Details of the Commemoration event are as follows:
Date: 08 September 2021
Venues: Thembisa Community Hall, Burgersdorp
Time: 10h00
For further enquiries you can contact ECLB Spokesperson Dr Mgwebi Msiya on 0605016418.
Ends.
Issued by:
Eastern Cape Liquor Board
