Funds needed to rid society of alcohol-related disorders

THE article on FASD (Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder), which appeared in the Cape Times on Thursday, March 5, shed much needed light on the consequences of alcohol abuse during pregnancy. Millions of children have been condemned to a life of misery and rejection as a direct result of this abuse.

I established The Foundation for Alcohol Related Research (FARR) in 1997 to quantify alcohol-related problems in society and determine ways to deal with them. Our studies defined the incidence levels in high-risk areas, and helped to create “healthy mother-healthy baby” programmes in an attempt to stem the abuse of alcohol. These studies are available on our website, www.farrsa.org.za

Excessive alcohol consumption during pregnancy malnourishes the mother and stunts foetal growth. Babies born to these mothers suffer damage to the central nervous system, growth deficiency and mental retardation.

The detrimental effect on the child’s development inevitably results in limited education prospects and poor manual dexterity; a combination which will deny them anything other than the most menial employment. Most of them end up on the edge of society, and a lifelong burden to those around them.

South Africa has the highest incidence of FASD in the world, affecting around 6 percent of the population. It is found wherever there is poverty, but is particularly prevalent in pockets of the Western Cape and De Aar, where incidence levels rise to more than 12 percent among children of school-entry age.

Alcohol abuse in these areas has its roots in the “dop” system, a practice once widely used by wine producers to pay part of the employee’s wages in wine. Over generations, this created an alcohol familiarity which has become a dark compelling practice among socially disadvantaged communities.

Unemployment, poverty and a lack of social support sees them turn to alcohol in an illusory relief to their misery. It creates a downward spiral, leading to sickness and crime, which costs the country billions.

FARR used its research to create intervention programmes designed to wean those at risk away from alcohol. It established and trained teams drawn from medical staff and local community members to run the programmes, and base them in areas of greatest need to provide ongoing help. The success achieved by these teams has been gratifying, reducing the prevalence of FASD by up to 30 percent in some cases.

But maintaining and extending these programmes is a never-ending activity. If the teams are not maintained, the subjects will almost certainly regress.

It costs R1.5 million to establish, train and support a team for a year. The government contributes to the programme, but not enough to maintain the existing teams, let alone increase their numbers. Industry and commerce have also been supportive, but there are a great many demands on their charitable allocations.

FARR shares its data with eminent international organisations working in related fields, and has been privileged to receive recognition and some support from them. But, again, their priorities are to their own programmes.

FASD is a scourge which is destroying the very people who should be building our future. We urgently need funds to support our existing field teams and recruit more of them if we are to rid our poorest societies of this inheritance.

Please contact: Professor Denis Viljoen, 37 Thornhill Street, Rondebosch, 7700. Tel: 021 686 2645/6/7 Enquiries: info@farrsa.org.za www.farrsa.org.za