WPRO member states adopted a Regional Strategy to reduce alcohol related harm in the Western Pacific in 2006. Since then there has been a series of meetings to discuss how to develop national alcohol policies under the umbrella of the Regional Strategy. The need for ongoing support in the form of both technical input and the opportunity to share cross-country experiences at a sub-regional level has been identified as part of a process of building capacity for policy development and data collection among member states.

The study is designed to address this need and enhance the development of effective alcohol policy and the implementation of policy in the context of the Regional Strategy to Reduce Alcohol-related Harm in the Western Pacific.

The first year of the project engages with four countries in Asia with visits planned by SHORE researchers, beginning November 2009, to Viet Nam, Cambodia, Lao, and Mongolia. These countries have similar cultural and political structures and are currently experiencing problems in relation to alcohol; there is the potential for increased problems as a concomitant of a privatised economy.

Researchers will meet with officials, ministers (where possible) and other stakeholders to identify key issues and contacts and to raise awareness locally. Following these visits there will be ongoing electronic support and communication between the project team and in-country contacts to facilitate capacity building in data collection and policy analysis.  After a round of visits we will convene a meeting in Hanoi inviting representatives from all participant countries, regional and international experts and the project team. This will allow for the exchange of skills and experience between country participants (focal points and NGOs), input from WHO Country Representatives and from technical advisors (drawn from two Collaborating Centres:  SHORE, Massey University, New Zealand and Mental Health Institute, Central South University, China).

SHORE Researchers: Professor Sally Casswell and Dr Martin Wall

Funded by the World Health Organization