Tanzania: Ministry of Health and Social welfare holds 1st Multisectoral Technical Working Group (MTWG) on control of tobacco use in Tanzania

 Our friend Lutgard sent us this message: yesterday, 2^nd September 2010 was a successful day for tobacco control advocates in Tanzania as Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MHSW) finally hosted the long awaited Multisectoral Technical Working Group (MTWG) on control of tobacco use in Tanzania. 

Members of the Working Group are from Ministry of Trade, Industries and Marketing (MTIM), Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS), Tanzania Revenue Authority, Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH), National Environmental Management Council (NEMC), Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC), Tanzania Public Health Association (TPHA), Tanzania Tobacco Control Forum (TTCF) and host MHSW. Other invitees who couldn’t make it are from Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs (MFEA) and Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS).

 

This was a great day for TTCF because this meeting and formation of the Technical Team was one of TTCF’s objectiveS under the Bloomberg programme; unfortunately, the process of selecting names of members from relevant ministries and  and other sectors  took longer than expected. 

 

Members were briefed on FCTC and the Tobacco Products (Regulation) Act 2003 (TPRA, 2003) and the position of preparation of the FCTC compliant Tobacco Control Legislation. TTCF also presented to members “The need for tobacco control in Tanzania” whereby facts and figures on tobacco production and use were presented. Another meeting will be announced soon to ensure that we no longer lose track and that important steps are taken to uplift the tobacco control agenda to the position where it ought to be.

 

Cheers, L

Lutgard Kokulinda Kagaruki 
Executive Director 
Tanzania Tobacco Control Forum 
P. O. Box 33105 
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania 
Tel: Off. +255 732 924088 
Tel: Mob. +255 754 284528 
Fax: +255 22 2771680

Comments

[Abduel Elinaza]

the 1st MTWG is commendable and in deed a great step toward controling tobbaco Tanzania. But did you guys of later see Tanzania Cigarrete Company profit of this year's firts half? the net profit went up by 90 per cent. This is means that the numbner of smokers have doubled in the six-month or more cigarette have been puffed thus incresinng cancer's risks. according to Dr Ngoma of Ocean Road Cancer Institute to treat a lung cancer patient the government is spending Tsh 3million (about US$ 2000)while the risk of recover is minimum.