Vice President Abdulla Jihad said Wednesday that tobacco must be controlled as it causes many harmful diseases.
He made the statement in his address at the “High Level Advocacy Forum on Tobacco Control in the Maldives.”
“High Level Advocacy Forum on Tobacco Control in the Maldives”, organised by the World Health Organisation and the Maldives Health Ministry, was held Tuesday evening at Hotel Jen. Speaking at the forum, Vice President Abdulla Jihad stressed the urgent need to control tobacco in the Maldives.
Noting that the Government is undertaking numerous efforts control tobacco use, Jihad said the Government aspires to create a tobacco-free generation. Highlighting that passive smokers face health hazards due to the inhalation of second hand smoke, the Vice President said that education and advocacy is important to make the nation smoke free.
Addressing the forum, Deputy Director at the Health Protection Agency Hassan Mohamed the country spends MVR 1.1 billion every year on tobacco, and noted that 81% of deaths in the Maldives are due to non-communicable diseases, of which smoking is a high contributing factor. He further noted that although there are no cigarette producers in the Maldives, the influence of cigarette suppliers is high in the country. He further stressed the need to strengthen efforts to control smoking.
The forum saw health sector experts from other countries share their valuable insights and experiences relating to tobacco control.