Dying diggers of Namaqualand need saving
Ahead of World Health Day, Democratic Alliance Women’s Network in the Northern Cape urges pregnant women to adopt healthy lifestyles during pregnancy. We need healthy babies for a healthy future.
We specifically need to solve the problem of women who drink alcohol while pregnant. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is a massive challenge in the province, with a recent study from the Foundation for Alcohol Related Research showing that De Aar has the highest prevalence rate of FAS in the world.
What makes this fact particularly worrying is that De Aar was the first place in the world to have reported a decline in FAS prevalence rates. This amazing achievement came after three years of dedicated community intervention programmes.
We need to strengthen the existing programmes to ensure that there is sufficient awareness of the dangers of drinking while pregnant. Every pregnant woman must be encouraged to embrace personal responsibility for her health and to adopt a healthy lifestyle for the benefit of her baby.
We have to reduce the burden that this entirely preventable disorder places on our society.
Media Enquiries:
Safiyia Stanfley
Provincial DAWN Chairperson
084 919 4157
Tharina Whittaker
Researcher
076 551 0312
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