Uganda: Parliament Urged to Pass the Tobacco Control Bill 2014

Source from:  East African Business Week 06/04/2015

Uganda's Ministry of Health has asked the Country's legislator body to urgently pass the Tobacco control Bill to ensure protection of Ugandans from the devastating effects of Tobacco.

Ministry says that they have developed strong policies which can address the effects of Tobacco smoking in the country but the implementation of such policies is delaying.

Speaking during the celebration to mark the World No Tobacco day at the Ministry of health in Kampala the Director general of Health Services in the Ministry of Health .Dr Ruth Aceng said: "The Ministry of health has drafted a Tobacco control Policy and strategies plan."

She observed that tobacco smoking is responsible for many global deaths. According to her tobacco kills nearly 6million people Worldwide including 600,000 nonsmokers exposed to second hand smoking.

"Tobacco use is a risk factor for many diseases and is linked to 71% of Lung cancer, 425 of respiratory diseases and about 10% of heart and blood vessels diseases and other cancers," she explained

The Tobacco Control Bil 2014 was tabled in parliament of Uganda as private Members Bill by Kinkizi East Member of Parliament Dr.Chris Baryomunsi , but during the process of parliament debates the bill received negative reaction from sections of legislators which accuses the Bill to be ant people who are depending on Tobacco growing as their source of Income this compelled the speaker of parliament to send the Bill back to the Health committee of parliament before its re-called back to the floor of parliament for further discussion by the legislators.

Uganda is among the Countries that participated in the negotiation of the World Health Organisation Frame work Convention on Tobacco control which came into force in2007 but the country is still grappling with meeting its timelines in meeting its obligation of implementing the convention.

Part of the Convention call for members states to control I illicit trade of Tobacco products on the Market which the Convention urges that Illicit trade of Tobacco exposes Tobacco products to the younger generation because Illicit Tobacco products on the market are always cheap.

Because of the increasing Illicit of tobacco trade among developing Countries like Uganda .Tobacco consumption among the younger generation has increased as compare to the Adults.

According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey conducted in2013 Indicates that adult use of tobacco has declined at 7% as compare to the Global Youth Tobacco survey of 2011 which shows that the trend among youth is up ward at 17.36% of youth using Tobacco.

Dr Posy. Mugyenyi the center manager at the center for Tobacco control in Africa said the Ugandan Government should strive to see that the younger generation is protected from the side effects of Tobacco products if the Country is to have strong productive Human resources in Future.

According to him this can be only done if Uganda domesticates the World Health Organisation Frame work convention on Tobacco control which the Government of Uganda ratified but the state has not domesticated the convention yet.

The World No Tobacco's day is celebrated annually the day was set up by the WHO member states to raise awareness on the health social-economic and Environmental harms of Tobacco. The day is also used to advocate for policy change and effective implementation in order protect present and future generation from Tobacco related harms. This year's day was celebrated under the Theme "Stop Illicit Trade in Tobacco." Enditem