International Breweries Plc has warned pregnant women and children against the consumption of alcohol.
According to a statement from the brewer, this was part of its just-concluded one-year Responsible Beverage Service programme in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The firm said the initiative was aimed at promoting responsible drinking and discouraging harmful use of alcohol.
It stated that the RBS initiative by International Breweries was conceived by the AB InBev Foundation, its sponsor.
“It delivered targeted training to bar owners and managers through comprehensive sessions, simultaneously breathing new life into local communities via initiatives like clean-up exercises. The intervention programme aimed to mitigate alcohol-related harms attributed to problems such as drunk driving, underage drinking, binge drinking, and alcohol consumption by pregnant women,” it was stated.
The firm noted that those efforts were focused on encouraging positive drinking habits and mitigating the adverse effects of abusive alcohol consumption.
“During the exercise, the team engaged in various outreach programmes, including health sensitisation sessions for pregnant women and those of reproductive age at the Model Primary Health Centre in Orogbum. Executive training sessions were also conducted for members of the Association of Hotel Owners and Managers at the Mimi Fish and Lounge, Old Aba Road, Rumuomasi.
“The initiative also extended its revitalisation efforts to Ambassador Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rumuolumene, among other institutions,” the statement added.
In Rivers State, the initiative was said to have equipped 302 proprietors and administrators of alcohol service establishments with the necessary tools and knowledge to effectively implement responsible beverage service.
According to International Breweries, about 387 servers, bar attendants, and security personnel were trained on RBS practices, adding that the RBS project impacted a total of 9,667 persons directly and an estimated 101,663.
One of the nursing mothers who benefited from the AB InBev-sponsored campaign, Mrs Gladys Onoh, said: “When I was pregnant, my doctor warned me to stay away from alcohol because of the baby; but when International Breweries Responsible Beverage Service came to my area in Port Harcourt with the same message, I was reminded to take it seriously. Today, anytime I look at my baby, I am glad I listened. I am grateful to AB InBev Foundation and International Breweries for this initiative.”