More action needed to help smokers quit-WHO report

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The World Health Organisation is calling upon countries to increase measures being taken up to help  citizens stop smoking tobacco.

The call was made on Monday during the release of 2018 Global Tobacco Epidemic report in Brazil. According to the report, despite strides made by countries to come up with policies against tobacco use, the policies are not being implemented.

It also shows that governments are not helping people who want to quit smoking. It is estimated that 5 billion people globally live in countries with smoking bans, graphic warnings on packaging and other effective measures. The report shows that while there are policies, only few countries are implementing these policies.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, says governments should implement cessation services like offering counseling to people trying to quit, nicotine replacement medication and non-nicotine tobacco as parts of efforts to ensure universal health coverage for their citizens.

“Quitting tobacco is one of the best things any person can do for their own health.The MPOWER package gives governments the practical tools to help people kick the habit, adding years to their life and life to their years.”

The report shows that only 23 countries globally are providing cessation services at the best practice level. 116 more provide fully or partially cost-covered services in some or most health facilities, and another 32 offer services but do not cost-cover them, demonstrating a high level of public demand for support to quit.

Michael R. Bloomberg, WHO Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries and founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies, says the report shows that government-led efforts to help people quit tobacco work when properly implemented.“More countries are making tobacco control a priority and saving lives, but there’s still much more work to be done. The WHO’s new report shines a spotlight on global efforts to help people quit using tobacco and it details some of our most important gains.”

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