It is that time again when alcohol consumption outweighs economic and social concerns, all because of World Cup euphoria. A recent World Health Organisation study indicates that alcohol caused 3.3 million deaths worldwide. Needless to go into the figures, but it is a given that this month, people will spend sleepless nights watching soccer in bars. More goals definitely result into more orders–for both agony and ecstacy. At the end of it all, fans drive under the influence of alcohol, exposing their lives to further dangers. Drinking is bad, but drink driving is worse. Now, did the National Budget, read last week, slap more taxes on booze and cigarettes? Perhaps increasing taxes on alcohol would make people drink less booze and more coffee or tea. Wait a minute. Did we say more what? Coffee is also bad for health and sugar is even worse. That if you go to those bars and claim to be only taking soda and not alcohol, a doctor will tell you that one bottle of Coke has as much as ten spoons of sugar. How bad is that? Very bad. Alcohol and sugar aside, the health budget is for the Financial Year 2014/2015 is expected to maintain the moment achieved in the last financial year. With reports from the neighbouring Tanzania indicating that women who suffer from Obstetric Fistula do not have transport to go to hospital, a Rwandan can only hope we do not have such scripts at home. As the budget is rolled, perhaps the issue of medical waste incinerators will be settled. Several referral hospitals in the country lack the facility or operate poorly, leaving public life and environment at risk of toxic waste and gas.
