KIGALI, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (Rwanda FDA) has temporarily suspended the importation of more than 50 brands of alcoholic beverages into the country as its crackdown on liquor products continues.
In a notice issued on Wednesday, importers were directed to recall affected products, while distributors, retailers, and consumers were instructed to stop distributing, selling, or consuming them.
The affected products are imported from several countries, including Uganda, Burundi, Kenya, India, Poland and Tanzania. Among them are popular brands such as Konyagi from Tanzania, Bond 7 Whisky from Uganda, and Gilbeys Gin from Kenya.
The Rwanda FDA ordered all advertising and promotional material for the affected products to be removed immediately from wherever they are displayed.
The move came days after the national regulator shut down over 130 liquor firms "in the interest of public health."
Speaking on a Rwanda Television talk show on Sunday, Minister of Health Sabin Nsanzimana said more than 500 people have been treated for complications linked to illicit brew this year, including about 50 deaths and more than 100 cases of vision loss.
As part of efforts to tackle alcohol consumption, the ministry launched the "Tunywe Less" ("Let's Drink Less") campaign, following a survey showing a significant rise in alcohol consumption among young people.
According to the Rwanda Biomedical Center's 2022 population-based national survey on non-communicable disease risk factors, the prevalence of alcohol consumption in the country increased from 41 percent in 2013 to 48 percent in 2022. ■