The Sierra Leone Alcohol Policy Alliance (SLAPA) has on the 9th September which was the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs) Awareness Day 2022, enlightened Sierra Leoneans about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs).

According to the awareness message by SLAPA, FASDs are a group of conditions that can occur in a person who was exposed to alcohol before birth. FASDs are preventable if a baby is not exposed to alcohol before birth.

SLAPA said, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, alcohol use during pregnancy can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, and a range of lifelong physical, behavioral, and intellectual disabilities.

It added that there is no known safe amount of alcohol use and no safe time for alcohol during pregnancy or while trying to get pregnant, stressing that all types of alcohol are equally harmful, including all wines and beer.

With that, SLAPA urged the Ministry of Health and Sanitation to integrate screening and diagnosis for prenatal alcohol exposure in Primary Health Care Facilities.