8th Caribbean Alcohol Reduction Day (CARD) 2023.
On December 1st, the Healthy Caribbean Coaliiton (HCC) co-hosted The 2023 Conference on the Harmful Use of Alcohol in the English-Speaking Caribbean alongside its partners, The UWI Faculty of Medical Sciences, St. Augustine and the Eastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network (ECHORN). The Conference was held at the UWI St. Augustine Campus, and live-streamed via the Zoom platform in recognition of the 8th Caribbean Alcohol Reduction Day (CARD).
This hybrid conference event was conceptualized by HCC Alcohol Policy Advisor, Professor Rohan Maharaj, and featured presentations from regional academics and public health experts, working in the field of alcohol research and policy. Seventeen (17) presentations were delivered, covering a wide range of topics including the impact of alcohol on public health, regional policy interventions, and the latest research findings. Lay summaries from those presentations can be found here: (click on the images below to enlarge)
The HCC and partners, with the support of PAHO, have hosted annual CARD events over the last seven years, under various themes and titles: The Misuse of Alcohol (2016); Drink Less, Reduce Cancer (2017); Youth: Let’s Talk about Alcohol (2018); Women and Alcohol (2019); Alcohol and COVID-19 (2020); Live Better, Drink Less: Challenges and Opportunities in the Caribbean (2021) and ‘The WHO Global Alcohol Action Plan (GAAP) 2022-2030 – Priorities / Implications for the Caribbean’ (2022).
This year’s hybrid conference theme was entitled “Alcohol Research- Evidence for Action and attracted over 100 virtual and 36 in-person attendees.
The objectives of the Conference and by extension, CARD 2023, were:
- To provide an update on regional progress and priorities in alcohol policy development and implementation including discussion of barriers and opportunities.
- To showcase alcohol research from across the English-speaking Caribbean.
- To discuss how to better utilize research to advocate for accelerated implementation of alcohol policies in the Caribbean.
- To highlight alcohol advocacy.
Throughout the day, four (4) sessions were held surrounding the issues of alcohol and population-based studies, regional policy, social impact and medical issues. Each session was followed by a brief Q&A segment.
The HCC and partners have held an annual Caribbean Alcohol Reduction Days (CARD) since 2016 you can find details of the other CARD days here.