Gambia: Health Minister Raises Concern Over Tobacco Associated Diseases

Source from:  The Daily Observer  03/21/2014

Awell-documented evidence on health risks associated with cigarette smoking in The Gambia has become a concern to the minister of Health and Socials Welfare. Dr. Omar Sey, who noted that tobacco use is shown to be responsible for 5% of deaths, caused by non-communicable diseases in population, aged, 30- years and above. Dr Sey who added that this is a very disturbing issue for a country which critically relies on its youths to propel the desired economic growth and development, recently made these remarks, as he presided over the opening of the first-ever donor conference in support of tobacco control in The Gambia, at the Laico Atlantic Hotel in Banjul.

Speaking further, Minister Sey, who disclosed that his ministry is very much aware of the complexities surrounding tobacco control, pointed out that no single agency or entity can tackle it alone. He then called on every Gambian to act together, in order to avert future "social and economic catastrophe."

Noting that resources are never enough, he urged the key partners in the public and private sector to support the fight against tobacco control and prevention in the country.

According to him, the most recent study on non-communicable disease risk factors conducted in 2010 indicated that 31% of the prevalence rate among the youthful population is aged between 25 and 34 years, adding that his ministry remains committed to working with stakeholders in the fight against tobacco. He is of the view that together The Gambia can stem the unprecedented rise in its use, particularly amongs the youth.

Dr Charles SAGOE -Moses, World Health Organisation (WHO) representative in The Gambia said nearly 80% of more than one billion smokers worldwide live in low and middle -income countries, where the burden of tobacco -related illness and deaths is the highest. He lamented that tobacco users who die prematurely deprive their families of income, raise the cost of health care and hinder economic development.

Dr Moses added that second hand smoking is most often the smoke that fills restaurants, offices, or other enclosed spaces when people burn tobacco products, such as cigarettes and water pipes. He noted that there are more than 4000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, of which at least 250 are known to be harmful and more than 50 are known to cause cancer.

Sambujang Conteh, director of Raid-The Gambia noted that the objective of the development campaign on Tobacco Control in The Gambia is to lobby, through the ministry of Finance to allocate 3% of tax to its sister ministry of Health and the non-communicable disease unit for its tobacco control activities. Enditem