Rwanda closes 8 liquor firms as campaign against alcohol abuse intensifies

KIGALI, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- The Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (Rwanda FDA) announced Sunday that it has shut down eight liquor factories "in the interest of public health," as the government intensifies efforts to curb alcohol abuse, particularly among young people.

In a notice addressed to manufacturers, distributors, retailers and the public, the national regulator said it has revoked all manufacturing licenses associated with the affected factories following regulatory inspections and compliance assessments.

Among the affected companies are Ingufu Gin Ltd, which produces 10 liquor products under various brand names, and NBG Ltd, whose six liquor products marketed under different brand names were also affected.

The Rwanda FDA also directed the affected manufacturers to recall the products from the market and submit recall reports within three working days. It ordered distributors and retailers to immediately halt the distribution and sale of the affected products and return all remaining stock to their suppliers without delay.

The move comes as the government steps up a nationwide campaign to tackle alcohol consumption, especially among young people.

The "Tunywe Less" ("Let's Drink Less") campaign, launched recently by the Ministry of Health, followed a survey showing a significant rise in alcohol consumption among young people.

Health Minister Sabin Nsanzimana has previously called for reversing the growing trend of alcohol consumption in Rwanda, warning that excessive drinking is linked to non-communicable diseases, including certain types of cancer.

According to the Rwanda Biomedical Center's 2022 population-based national survey on the prevalence of non-communicable disease risk factors, alcohol consumption in the country increased from 41 percent in 2013 to 48 percent in 2022. ■