India News | Satyarthi Stresses Need for Compassion in Dealing with Prevention, Control of Alcohol Abuse

New Delhi, Apr 19 (PTI) Social activist and Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi on Wednesday emphasised on the importance of compassion in dealing with prevention and control of alcohol abuse in society.

He was speaking at an event held at the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) here.

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A campaign -- PLAY-SAFE ('Protecting Liver From Alcohol Use In Youth Enhancing Societal and Familial Awareness') -- was launched by the ILBS on the occasion of World Liver Day on Wednesday, which is observed on April 19 every year to raise awareness about liver diseases and their prevention.

The event featured a series of talks and interactive panel discussion that highlighted the importance of societal and familial awareness for combating alcohol related liver diseases, the ILBS said in a statement.

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While citing a few real-life examples, Satyarthi, guest of honour at the event, emphasised on the "importance of compassion" in dealing with prevention and control of alcohol abuse in society.

He promised to provide his wholehearted support in this endeavour to tackle abuse of alcohol and prevent its health and societal complications, the statement said.

The social activist invited all the participants present at the venue to take a pledge on increasing awareness regarding ill-effects of alcohol in youth ('#Let Liver Live'), it said.

Dr S K Sarin, Vice Chancellor, ILBS, in his introductory speech emphasised on the increasing burden of the alcohol-related liver disease in India, especially among the younger age groups.

He voiced his concern over the "increasing number of young citizens" requiring liver transplant due to cirrhosis as a result of alcohol abuse.

Sarin stressed that "per capita alcohol consumption in India had increased by 60 per cent in the last decade and of the total admissions in ILBS, 48 per cent are that of alcoholic liver disease".

"Alcohol is now the commonest cause of liver cancer in Europe and without transplant mortality due to severe alcoholic hepatitis within 28 days is 40 per cent which is more than any cancer," he said.

The doctor emphasised that "deaths due to ALD have tripled in the recent past and more so after COVID-19. The WHO has declared that a safe limit for consumption is zero alcohol and 59 per cent of harmful effects of alcohol are in young population," he said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)