Gambia Launches Comprehensive Tobacco Control Policy Formulation

Source from:  The Daily Observer (Banjul) 05/17/2013

Health stakeholders including the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Raid-The Gambia and the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday launched a Comprehensive Tobacco Control formulation at the conference hall of the National Nutrition Agency (NaNA) in Bakau. The one day multi-sectoral working group meeting is funded by the American Cancer Society (ACS), with the aim of developing the aforementioned policy.

Speaking at the meeting, the director of Raid-The Gambia, Sambujang Conteh, explained that the meeting sought to collect the inputs of key stakeholders in the fight against tobacco in developing the policy. He said Article 5 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control has urged all state parties to update and review the Comprehensive Tobacco Control Strategy Planning and Programmes. He reminded that the government of The Gambia is a signatory to the WHO Framework on Tobacco Control, which according to him was ratified by the National Assembly on 5th June 2007. However, Conteh acknowledged that a lot of efforts have been made by the government in the area of tobacco control and prevention. The Raid as an NGO, according to Conteh has been playing its role in complementing government's effort in this regard, adding that the issue of tobacco cannot be addressed in isolation, that it requires the full participation of stakeholders.

The director of Health Promotion and Education under the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Modou Njai, said the issue of tobacco control should be everybody's business given its devastating impact on the lives of the people. He expressed hope that once the policy is developed, it will contribute in the prevention of tobacco control.

The Health Promotion officer at WHO, Momodou Gassama, described the launching as timely, and concurred that once the Comprehensive Tobacco Policy is developed, it will go a long way in enhancing the prevention and control of tobacco in the country. Enditem