World no Tobacco Day Message of the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Gomes Sambo

World no Tobacco Day Message of the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Gomes Sambo

30 May 2005

Health Professionals and Tobacco Control

Ladies and gentlemen, Tobacco use is a serious public health problem. There are more than one billion smokers in the world and 5 million deaths per year due to tobacco. If the current consumption patterns continue, the number of deaths will reach 10 million per year by 2020, of which 70% will occur in developing countries.

In the year 2000, tobacco use prevalence was 29% in males and 7% in females in Africa. The results of the Global Youth Tobacco Survey on smoking for 13 to 15 year old school youths from 19 countries of the African region show a prevalence ranging from 10% to 33%. The situation is moving from bad to worse as the tobacco industry relocates to the poor South, fleeing harsh regulations in the developed countries. Our Region has to confront this epidemic quickly because tobacco consumption is a preventable cause of death.

The harmful effects of tobacco on the body are many. These are, notably, different types of cancers, chronic lung and cardiovascular diseases, damage to the reproductive system, and addiction to nicotine. Secondhand smoking, which is exposure of non-smokers to smoke, also increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, cancer of the lung, otitis media, respiratory diseases, and sudden infant death.

To counter this epidemic, in 1988 the World Health Assembly adopted a resolution calling for the celebration of World No Tobacco Day on 31 of May every year. This annual celebration enables us to inform the public on several aspects, notably:

- on the dangers of tobacco consumption, 

- on the detrimental practices of the tobacco industry, 

- on what WHO is doing to fight the tobacco epidemic, 

- and on what people around the world can do to proclaim their right to health and to a healthy living and to protect present and future generations

In May 2003, the World Health Assembly adopted the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. With this Convention, the international community initiated a tobacco control strategy that will allow all countries to effectively control the global tobacco epidemic. The Convention contains provisions for the reduction of supply and demand through the ban of illicit trade in tobacco products, the ban of sales to and by children, and provisions of support for economically viable alternative activities.

The celebration of this day assumes a particular character this year. The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control entered into force on 27 February 2005. To date, 9 countries in the African Region have ratified the Convention. Efforts have to be made in order to bring about the largest number of countries to ratify the Convention.

The objective of the Convention is to protect the community from the devastating health, social, and economic consequences of tobacco consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke. The Convention provides a framework for reducing progressively and substantially the prevalence of tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke.

This year, in accordance with the preamble of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, that emphasizes the importance of the NGOs and health professional associations for tobacco control efforts, the theme of the day is dedicated to health professionals. Indeed, health professionals have an essential role to play, for example:

They are in contact with the population and in this way can help change their behaviour and give advice or guidance. They can answer questions on tobacco use and on consequences of tobacco addiction. They can help patients stop smoking. A single advice from a health professional on the dangers of tobacco and the importance of giving it up is one of the most cost-effective ways of reducing tobacco addiction.

- Health professionals should preach by example and tobacco control should be part of their training programs.

- At community level health professionals can initiate or support tobacco control policy and measures such as smoke free workplaces and mobilization of resources to help smoking cessation.

- Finally, health professionals can form alliances for national and global initiatives for tobacco control through campaigns for tax increase and promotion of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

- Health professional associations can become a model for the other professional associations and for the community by adopting a code of responsible behaviour.

Ladies and gentlemen, today, as the world benefits from a valuable instrument, with the entry into force of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, we urge health professionals in the African Region to fully play their role to help our people benefit from a healthy environment, a world free of tobacco.

We take advantage of this day to appeal to governments not only to ratify this Convention, but also to implement it with the involvement of the public and private sectors, non-governmental organizations, civil society associations and all the stakeholders in the country. With such an impetus, I am convinced that we will control the tobacco epidemic and its harmful effects.

Thank you.