Brazzaville, 31 May 2010 -- WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, has called on governments in the region to protect women from tobacco marketing and smoke.

“I invite all governments to protect women from tobacco marketing and from exposure to tobacco. In doing so, governments can help reduce the number of women who fall victim to fatal and debilitating heart attacks, strokes, cancers and respiratory diseases”, Dr Sambo said in a message released on Monday to commemorate World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) observed worldwide on 31 May.

“Gender and tobacco with emphasis on marketing to women” is the theme of this year’s WNTD which focuses on the harm which tobacco marketing and smoke do to women. At the same time, it seeks to make men more aware of their responsibility to avoid smoking around the women with whom they live and work.

The Regional Director specifically called for the institution of comprehensive tobacco control policy-making and implementation saying, “I call upon policy-makers to develop and enforce a comprehensive ban on direct or indirect advertising, promotion and sponsorship of tobacco products. A ban on smoking in all public places including work places and restaurants should also be imposed and enforced”.

While appealing to the general public to reject all forms of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship, he urged civil society and NGOs to educate women and girls on the dangers of tobacco to themselves, families and unborn babies.

The Regional Director singled out male smokers for a special appeal: “I would like to make a special call to all male smokers to avoid exposing their families and many others to second-hand smoke. They should realize that their smoking habits pose considerable health hazards to others especially women with whom they live or work”.

WHO estimates that of the over five million people who die each year from tobacco use, approximately 1.5 million are women. Unless urgent action is taken, tobacco use could kill more than eight million people each year by 2030, of whom 2.5 million would be women. Approximately three-quarters of these female deaths would occur in the low-income and middle-income countries that are least able to absorb such losses.

For more information, please contact:

TECHNICAL CONTACT: Dr. Jean-Pierre Baptiste – Tel: +47 241 39310 – E-mail: baptistej [at] afro.who.int (baptistej[at]afro[dot]who[dot]int)

MEDIA CONTACT: Samuel Ajibola – Tel : +47 241 39378 – E-mail: ajibolas [at] afro.who.int (ajibolas[at]afro[dot]who[dot]int)