Sensitization of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on tobacco control measures of the public health ACT 851 and WHO FCTC Article 5.3 in Ghana
More details
Hide details
1
Ghana Health Service, Research and Development Division, Ghana
2
Ghana Health Service, Disease Prevention and Control Division, Ghana
3
World Health Organization-Afro, Health Promotion Department, Ghana
4
Vision for Alternative Development, Ghana
Publication date: 2018-03-01
Tob. Induc. Dis. 2018;16(Suppl 1):A54
Download abstract book (PDF)
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Background and challenges to implementation:
Ghana on 11th July 2012 passed a
Public Health- Act 851-2012), part six of which is Tobacco Control
Measures. MDAs
have the responsibility to harmonize and coordinate approach to capacity development
in the public sector and also in the administration according to existing
Government of Ghana systems including laws, regulations, procedures and
operating systems, hence matters so much in the success of tobacco control
policy implementations in Ghana.
Objective: To strengthen tobacco control governance systems and
improve knowledge, specifically providing guidance for MDAs to prevent
tobacco industry influence on policies.
Intervention or response:
Materials used during the training were, Videos dubbed; "Don't
Start"; and "A Heavy Price" which show evidence based documentary of testimonies
from persons with all forms of cancers, cardiovascular diseases and other
diseases due to tobacco use and "Smoker's Body". Power Point Presentations on the
topics; Health Effects of Smoking/Tobacco use, Global Burden of Tobacco related diseases, Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), Ghana's Public
Health Law,
ACT 851 (Part Six Tobacco Control
Measures) Tobacco Industry Interference/What to do to
counteract them, Ghana's Performance Status by the
FCTC provisions, Prevalence of tobacco use and related mortality in Ghana,
Tobacco Control; Whose Responsibility and Role of MDAs. There were also open
forum for questions and answers.
Results and lessons learnt:
A total of 566 MDAs in six from the ten regions in Ghana namely; Ashanti,
Eastern, Brong Ahafo, Western, Northern and Volta Regions were sensitized.
Conclusions and key recommendations:
This exercise was in
compliance with WHO FCTC Articles implementation. It offered education to MDAs and
prepared them in position to handle Tobacco Industry influence on policy that
will only advance their vested interest which is to maximize profit at the
expense of people's health.