The number of patients suffering from alcohol poisoning has increased dramatically.
The number of people who became ill, died, or were hospitalized due to alcohol poisoning in 2017 increased dramatically compared to the previous five years.
At the workshop "Strengthening measures to prevent alcohol poisoning during the Lunar New Year and Spring Festival season of 2018," Mr. Nguyen Hung Long, Deputy Director of the Food Safety Department, Ministry of Health, stated that in 2017, the whole country recorded 10 cases, affecting 119 people, with 115 hospitalized and 11 deaths.
Previously, this number tended to decrease gradually from 2013 to 2016. Of these, the highest number of food poisoning cases were due to alcohol in the northern mountainous region.
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According to the Food Safety Administration, currently, poisoning incidents caused by alcohol with high methanol content account for 9 out of 28 cases, or 32.1%; alcohol infused with tobacco accounts for 17.9%; and alcohol infused with poisonous forest plants accounts for 39.3%... Alcohol with high methanol content caused 7 poisoning incidents, affecting 106 people and causing 23 deaths.
In Hanoi, from the beginning of 2017 to the present, 40 patients in 12 districts/counties have suffered methanol poisoning. Currently, 28 patients are stable, while 12 seriously ill patients requested discharge and subsequently died at home. Most patients consumed alcohol from various sources with unknown origins and labels, sold at small, independent businesses.
Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien also stated that, according to statistics, by 2025, the country's alcohol production will reach approximately 440,000 liters with thousands of alcohol production facilities. The abuse of alcohol and beer causes many health problems, increases the risk of traffic accidents, and negatively impacts public order and security.
Alcohol is the cause of 31% of fights and murders, 33% of rapes, 18% of traffic accidents, and 60 different diseases such as liver, stomach, and cardiovascular diseases.
In particular, research from the Central Institute of Mental Health shows that the rate of mental health treatment due to alcohol accounts for 5-6% of patients and is still trending upwards.
The Minister of Health noted that the current rate of alcohol poisoning is about 1-2% per year, but the death rate is approximately 7% per year. Therefore, alcohol consumption is a worrying issue, especially during the upcoming Lunar New Year and other festivals.
