Cape Town is confronting one of the world's highest rates of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder FASD, with 310 cases per 1,000 births in the Western Cape, prompting a renewed focus on prevention and support services.
As stated in the City of Cape Town's release, this year's FASD awareness theme is Supporting bumps without booze, coping without alcohol. The city clarified that no amount of alcohol is safe during pregnancy or breastfeeding and pointed to available health services for women struggling with substance use.
City Health clinics and substance abuse treatment sites offer programmes like Matix, which provides outpatient assistance to pregnant women and their families, alongside antenatal care and substance abuse prevention initiatives.