Rwanda’s Minister of Health, Dr Sabin Nsanzimana, has said the number of patients treated at health facilities for problems linked to substandard alcoholic drinks has dropped by nearly 80% in just one month following measures to stop their production and distribution.
He made the remarks during discussions with members of the National Consultative Forum of Political Organisations (NFPO), which focused on the policy to combat the production and distribution of substandard alcoholic drinks.
Dr Nsanzimana said the effects of these drinks had been evident in health facilities, particularly among people who assaulted or fought one another after drinking.
“Among the patients we see at health facilities, cases involving people who injured one another, came in with knife wounds or were involved in fights have decreased by nearly 80%,” he said.
He added that health authorities were continuing to collect data to compare with figures from security agencies, including the Rwanda National Police and the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB), to establish whether cases of assault and bodily injury had declined following the measures.
Residents report changes in family life
Some residents said the suspension of substandard alcoholic drinks had improved family life, particularly by reducing conflicts at home and enabling some drinkers to spend money on other household needs.
Umurerwa Speciose said money previously spent on alcohol often left families unable to afford basic necessities, but that changes were now becoming visible.
“Someone who used to spend money on alcohol can now use it to buy clothes, and there is no longer a shortage of beans at home,” she said.
Kamonyo Straton, a resident of Gasabo District, also said people’s behaviour had changed, particularly among those who previously drank heavily.
“Until recently, when people attended meetings in this sector, there were many drunk people. But things have changed; look around and you will see the difference,” he said.
NFPO questions how manufacturers operated
During the discussions, the Minister of Health said Rwanda had more than 250 factories producing substandard alcoholic drinks, while more than 200 other investors had applied to the Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (Rwanda FDA) for permission to establish similar factories.
The figures prompted some NFPO members to question how institutions responsible for monitoring the quality of products manufactured locally and imported into the country had carried out their duties.
Deputy Ombudsman Mukama Abbas said investigations were needed into how the factories had been able to operate and continue distributing substandard alcoholic drinks. He also suggested that corruption might have contributed to weaknesses in inspections.
“There may have been corruption, because when you look at all these factories across Rwanda and the figures provided by the Ministry, you cannot help but question why such a risky situation was allowed to develop while inspections took so long,” he said.
He commended the government’s measures and urged authorities to maintain them to prevent the problem from escalating again.
Senate Vice-President Mukabaramba Alvera also said the existence of more than 200 factories producing substandard alcoholic drinks should have prompted the relevant authorities to strengthen inspections and tighten the process for issuing operating licences.
