Doctors seek robust campaign against smoking

The World Association of Family Doctors (WONCA) in Lagos State on Sunday urged governments to adopt a comprehensive health education programmes that would enhance the campaign on the dangers of smoking. The Africa Regional President of WONCA, Dr Sylvester Osinowo, made the call at an event to commemorate the 2012 WONCA’s World Family Doctor Day. According to Osinowo, smoking causes the highest number of sickness and death of Nigerians.

He said the commemoration theme, “Healthy Living: The Role of the Family Doctor, Smoking Cessation among Doctors and in the Community,” was chosen to highlight the effects of smoking.

Osinowo said the effects of smoking included coronary heart diseases, cancer and reduction in fertility for women.

Smoking also “has negative social, economic and developmental effects on the lives of individuals, families and the community at large.”

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Health experts want smoking cessation at all levels

Irked by rising number of deaths and diseases associated with smoking, health experts have stressed the need for government at all levels to adopt preventive comprehensive health education programmes on smoking cessation and control.

The experts under the auspices of the World Association of Family Doctors, WONCA, noted that the estimated death rate of 4.9m people in 1999 was expected to rise to 10m by 2020, out of which would affect 7m people in developing countries including Nigeria.

In his submission at a lecture to commemorate this year’s World Family Day with the theme: “Healthy Living: The Role of the Family Doctor, Smoking Cessation Among Doctors and in the Community,” the Africa Regional President of WONCA, Dr. Sylvester Osinowo pointed out that smoking had been identified to cause the heaviest burden of morbidity and mortality on Nigerians compared to any other risk factor

Osinowo stated that smoking caused coronary heart diseases, cancer and reduction in fertility for women added that it also posed adverse social, economic and developmental effects on the lives of individuals, their families and the community at large.

His words, “Tobacco consumption causes multiple health risks as cigarette smokers are 2.4 times more likely to develop coronary heart disease than non-smokers. WHO cancer agency also indicates that smoking has been linked to about 90 percent of all lung cancer cases”

“The economic burden includes direct medical care cost for tobacco-induced illnesses, absence from work, reduction in productivity and death.”he said.

He said “the primary health care centers being the nearest to the people should be empowered to do push programmes with vigour to catch the youths before they adopt the serious health hazard habit.

The President recommended that anti-smoking clinics be established in the PHCs and sickbay of colleges and tertiary institutions to rehabilitate those who were enmeshed already in the habit.

He also appealed to family physicians and general medical practitioners disengage themselves from habits such as smoking so as to be good role models for the society to follow.

Speaking,the National President of the Association of General Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria, AGPMPN, Dr Anthony Omolola said that preventive healthcare through annual check up by a doctor was the best healthy living strategy.

On the importance of family doctor, Omolola notes that their roles could not be over emphasized in the medical treatment as family doctors are the ones closer to the patient, have a personal relationship with him thereby making it easier to treat him or her.

By Chioma Obinna

Doctors charge FG on anti-smoking policies

Doctors have called on the Federal Government to pass the anti-tobacco bill into law to reduce the population of Nigerians dying from tobacco-related diseases.

The Africa Regional President, WONCA, Dr. Sylvester Osinowo, who spoke in Lagos at the commemoration of the 2012 World Family Doctor day tagged, “Healthy Living: The Role of the Family Doctor in Smoking Cessation and in the Community, said in order to reduce deaths from diseases caused by smoking, government must enforce stricter anti-smoking laws

According to him, about five million people were affected globally by cigarette smoking in 1999 and the value was expected to rise to 10 million by 2020, out of which seven million would be from developing countries including Nigeria.

Osinowo stated that smoking had been directly linked to the increasing cases of coronary heart diseases, cancer and reduction in fertility for women.

“Tobacco consumption causes multiple health risks as cigarette smokers are 2.4 times more likely to develop coronary heart disease than non-smokers. World Health Organisation cancer agency also indicates that smoking has been linked to about 90 per cent of all lung cancer cases.

“The economic burden includes direct medical care cost for tobacco-induced illnesses, absence from work, and reduction in productivity and death.” he said.He noted that primary health care centres and anti-smoking clinics in tertiary institutions and communities should be made to champion these programmes due to their proximity to youths.

Environmentalists beg Health Minister to save tobacco Bill

• Urges Jonathan to sign one-year-old Bill

The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) yesterday urged the Minister of Health Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu to ensure the National Tobacco Control Bill (NTCB) is signed into law.

The group said the Bill, when it becomes an Act, will prevent an imminent tobacco epidemic in the country.

ERA/FoEN, in a letter to the minister, said the failure of President Goodluck Jonathan to assent the Bill would not only reverse efforts to wean the youth off smoking, but also threaten the country’s leadership position in global tobacco control efforts.

The group said Nigeria having signed and ratified the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is bound to domesticate it through the Bill.

The tobacco bill, sponsored by Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora, was passed by the Senate on March 15, 2011 and concurred by the House of Representatives on May 31, last year. The signature of the President is required to make the bill law.

ERA/FoEN, in a statement by its Executive Director, Nnimmo Bassey, said: “Our plea for the minister to intervene at this crucial time is a patriotic call to save Nigerians from the tobacco industry’s commitment to advocating weak legislation that will ensure they continue business as usual thereby worsening our health burden.

“After the overwhelming support the bill received in the Senate and House of Representatives, It is sad that till date, it has not been signed by the President. The intervention of the Health Minister is a singular action that generations of Nigerians will not forget. Giving Nigerians this gift as we mark the 2012 World No Tobacco Day will be remarkable. 

Bassey reminded the minister of his promise during the 2011 World No Tobacco Day to ensure the Bill gets presidential assent speedily. He urged the minister to be on the watch for tobacco industry lobbyists that have been let loose to ensure the Bill never becomes law. 

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Intrigues stall passage of tobacco control bill

INTRIGUES among key officials of the Federal Ministries of Health, Trade and Investment, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), and a tobacco-producing firm have been fingered in the non-passage of National Tobacco Control Bill (NTCB), a year after the National Assembly passed it.

The Guardian learnt that President Goodluck Jonathan, whose assent is required for the bill to become law, is yet to receive the document.

And ahead of the 2012 World No Tobacco Day holding this week, some activists have doubted government’s commitment to Nigerians’ right to a healthy environment. They claimed that Nigeria lags behind in the implementation of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

It was learnt that the bill had become a plaything between the ministries of Health and Trade and Investment.

In fact, the Federal Ministry of Health, which is named the chief implementation agency of the bill, is alleged to have failed in sending the bill to the President for assent.

There were also speculations that a tobacco manufacturing firm was arm-twisting some officials of SON and the Ministry of Trade and Investment to prevent the bill from being passed in its current form.

“The tobacco industry is in disagreement with two sections of the bill, which the operators want expunged. One of the sections is the non-inclusion of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) in the membership of the National Tobacco Control Committee as provided in the bill.

“The SON is also in disagreement with some of the oversight functions it was allotted in the bill. SON wants to be the chief implementation agency for the bill,” a source said.

While waiting for clarity on the status of the bill, activists under the aegis of Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), have urged the minister of health to initiate the processes towards the enforcement of pictorial warnings on cigarette packs sold in Nigeria.

The group noted that Nigeria was behind in the implementation of tobacco control measures, one of which is the enforcement of pictorial warnings on cigarette packs as obtained in five of the world’s eight largest countries.

Director, Corporate Accountability Campaigns of ERA/FoEN, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said: “Pictorial warnings have been proven as one of the most effective tools to tackling the glamourisation of tobacco products; effectively communicate the health impacts of smoking and help to reduce consumption and its associated hazards.

“We believe strongly that the health minister should commence all processes that would lead to the enforcement of pictorial warnings on cigarette packs. The first step is for the minister to work for the presidential assent of the National Tobacco Control Bill,” he said.

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Jonathan urged to sign Tobacco Bill

President Goodluck Jonathan

The Environmental Rights Action (ERA) has appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to sign the National Tobacco Control Bill into law.

The group said it would do the country good as governments and public health advocates plan towards this year’s World No Tobacco Day on May 31.  

In a statement  issued in Lagos by its Director, Corporate Accountability and Administration, Akinbode Oluwafemi, the organisation urged  Jonathan to sign the  Bill to celebrate the global event.

ERA/FoEN also urged Health Minister Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu to get the president to assent to the Bill.

 Oluwafemi said: “Countries all over the world have made specific and strategic efforts to combat the dangers of smoking especially among the youths by putting laws in place to regulate the production and marketing of tobacco products. The enactment of national laws and the domestication of the World Health’s Organisation (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) are singular efforts in this direction.

“Nigeria has made giant strides in fulfilling our international obligations by attempting to domesticate the FCTC through the National Tobacco Control Bill, but we are afraid these gains that we have worked for as civil society organizations, legislators and the Ministry of Health will be reversed if the President does not sign this bill to commemorate this year’s WNTD.

“The theme for this year, Preventing Industry Interference in Tobacco Control policies is very instructive because Nigerians are worried that the bill which was passed with overwhelming public support is yet to be signed into law by the President. This is a bill that would have direct impact on Nigerians. It is the dividend of democracy for Nigerians.”

Akinbode said: “ The President cannot allow the tobacco industry to influence and derail his transformation agenda by providing qualitative healthcare for Nigerians. The whole world is waiting for Nigeria, the African continent is awaiting our leadership.”

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Tobacco bill: ERA/FoEN demands presidential assent

As governments and public health advocates plan towards this year’s World No Tobacco Day (May 31) the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria has sent a strong appeal to President Goodluck Jonathan to use this year’s commemoration to sign the across the globe Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) to assent to the recently passed National Tobacco Control Bill.

In a press release issued in Lagos and signed by ERA/FoEN Director, Corporate Accountability & Administration, Akinbode Oluwafemi, the organisation urged President Jonathan to sign the National Tobacco Bill (NTCB) to celebrate the global event.
ERA/FoEN also asked the Health Minister, Onyebuchi Chukwu to take the lead in the processes that will lead to the signing of the bill ahead of the World No Tobacco Day.
The2012 WNTD has as theme: Industry Interference, and urges government to protect their public health policies from vested and other tobacco industry interests.
Akinbode Oluwafemi said: “Nigeria has made giant strides in fulfilling our international obligations by attempting to domesticate the FCTC through the National Tobacco Control Bill, but we are afraid these gains that we have worked for as civil society organizations, legislators and the Ministry of Health will be reversed if the President does not sign this bill to commemorate this year’s WNTD.”

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