Nams Discuss Status of Tobacco Control Activities in Gambia

Source from:  The Daily Observer  09/28/2014

Raid-The Gambia, an NGO working in the area of tobacco control, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, through funding from the American Cancer Society recently sensitised the National Assembly select committee on health, on the status of tobacco control activities in the country.

Speaking at the occasion, the deputy director of Health Promotion and Education at the health ministry, Muhammed Saho described tobacco control activities as a very difficult task that requires lot of financial resources, as well as support from all stakeholders to control it, adding that the meeting is aimed at soliciting support to ratify the National Tobacco Control Policy, and to also endorse the 3% tax to be allocated to tobacco control activities in the country.

To achieve the goal of a Gambia free from the menace of tobacco, he said, requires the collaborative effort of all to address the issues, which, his Ministry is committed to. He then thanked the National Assembly Members for their support towards the fight for the control and prevention of tobacco in the country.

In her keynote address, the deputy speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Fatou Mbaye stated that the interest of the people they serve is very important to them, especially with regards to health matters.

Noting that the select committee on health is looking into various issues affecting men, women and children, he said, data and research is very important in the fight against tobacco control, pointing out that the real situation is not yet known. "We are not an implementing agency, but can play an advocacy role because of our mandate. The welfare of people, especially health is our concern," he added.

For his part, the executive director of RAID-The Gambia Sambujang Conteh reminded NAMS that The Gambia is a signatory to the World Health Organisation's Framework on the Convention of Tobacco Control (FCTC) which had a positive response from the Gambian communities, who recommended the implementation of the FCTC. But he noted that, it couldn't be done without policy and legislative documents.

He disclosed that The Gambia was represented at the meeting and some key commitments were undertaken, including intensifying and increasing resource mobilisation and allocation to tobacco control measures at the national and member country levels. "At that meeting, UN agencies and state parties committed to consider the prevention and education of tobacco use as a development priority," Conteh added.

He then cited Article 26 of the FCTC on recognising the important role financial resources play in achieving the objective of the convention.

According to him, each part should provide financial support in respect of its national activities, intended to achieve the objective of the conventions in accordance with its national planning priorities and programmes. "That is why the Ministry of Health requested an allocation of 3% of the tax collected from tobacco from the Ministry of Finance to the Non Communicable Diseases Unit (NCD) of the health Ministry for tobacco control activities," he noted.

Omar Badjie, the Non Communicable Diseases (NCD) focal person at the Ministry of Health intimated that tobacco control activities needed a lot of resources, noting that as of now the NCD unit has insufficient funds to effectively run tobacco control activities.

He therefore urged parents to desist from sending minors to either buy cigarettes or to light it, as well as to avoid smoking in the presence of family members, particularly children, as he stated, it affects their health just like it affects our own health. Enditem