Increasing tobacco control

Sierra Leone is set to accelerate its tobacco control efforts with the help of the World Health Organization, according to a story in the Journal du Cameroun quoting a Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) official.
Dr. Alie Wurie, director of the MoHS’ Non-communicable Diseases department, said the ministry was poised to make tobacco control a national priority through legislation and education.
Wurie’s announcement was made in the context of a new WHO initiative designed to help countries fast track the implementation of the its Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
Sierra Leone is among 15 low- and middle-income countries selected to benefit from the UK-funded FCTC 2030 project, which seeks to reduce tobacco consumption.
The MoHS estimates that there are 40,000 tobacco users in the country, and that smoking prevalence is on the rise, particularly among men and young people.
The Journal reported yesterday that technical experts from the FCTC 2020 project were in Freetown and that on Tuesday they held a national meeting with stakeholders on the FCTC 2030 project.
Andrew Black, development assistance team leader with the FCTC 2030 secretariat in Geneva, said tobacco not only stole lives; it exacerbated poverty, damaged the environment and created immense burdens on national health systems.