South African Medical Association (Sama) chairperson, Dr Angelique Coetzee, said that it was important to address the root causes of irresponsible alcohol use.
The reaction comes following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement that the sale of alcohol has been banned again as the country’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic rages on.
According to Coetzee, digging the underlying problems regarding alcohol abuse was important. He agreed having the ban in place would ease pressure on the health system, but stressed that a more long-term solution needed to be found.
“What we’re now effectively doing is putting a plaster on a festering wound. If we do not address the problem, we’ll forever have an alcohol ban.”
“Remember what we said, this virus is going to be with us for quite some time, so are we now going to block alcohol and cigarettes every time something is not up to what you want to to be?” he said.
