By Sisi Segalo

According to research, the country has the highest prevalence of FASD in the world.

The World Health Organization defines fetal alcohol syndrome as the most severe form of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, which are a range of conditions that can affect a child's development if the mother drinks alcohol during pregnancy.  

Doctor Marlene De Vries from Stellenbosch University explains that children with FASD have a variety of difficulties in life. She says they have different facial features, but the most pronounced difficulty is being brain damaged which results to having difficulty with behavior and social life in general, she explains.

De Vries says that there's no legislation in SA to either prevent or help mothers who might be drinkers during their pregnancies. She says some government departments do have their own policies, but in primary healthcare, the policies are not implemented.

“Our government does not have a policy for the prevention, treatment and support of people with FASD. There are a few government departments which have their own policies on what should be done should the woman come into an antenatal clinic and she is drinking. However, there's no system of referral, no clear process of how we are going to prevent it or even how to inform people,” said De Vries.

SA government admits that there is no legislation in place to address the problem, but says policies are there to guide society and healthcare.  

“The government is trying its best to help fight this syndrome, but we need the community also to be responsible for their own health,” said Ellence Makoba, Director of Maternal and Neonatal Health at the National Department of Health

Makoba  added that general awareness needs to be raised through the media and for pregnant women who are heavy drinkers to be given support and provided with the means to stop drinking.  

--ChannelAfrica--