Implementation of the government’s programme to designate 'tobacco-free islands” will proceed only after consultation with local councils and residents, and participation will be voluntary, according to Health Minister Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim. The programme, unveiled earlier, offers incentives to communities that collectively end tobacco use.
In Parliament, Minister Nazim said the designations will follow international standards and specific criteria. He noted that island councils must engage residents in drafting implementation plans, building on earlier efforts in which awards were granted to communities pursuing similar measures.
The initiative is structured as a three-stage process, coordinated with the Health Protection Agency. Residents must first agree to prohibit tobacco use in public spaces. Communities are then required to end all commercial trade in tobacco products. The final stage calls for residents to collectively cease tobacco use, ensuring that earlier measures are sustained.
Final determination will rest with an independent committee working alongside the agency, assessing compliance against standards comparable to those of the World Health Organization. Minister Nazim clarified that the award reflects adherence to tobacco-free standards, not an absolute guarantee that no individual residents continue to use tobacco.
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has earlier directed the creation of a five-year master plan, prepared with WHO assistance, introducing financial support for social activities on recognised islands.