Qatar has been elected as head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) High Ministerial Group for Tobacco and Nicotine Products Control for the Middle East region.
The election took place on Sunday during the first meeting of the ministerial group, via a virtual call, where Qatar’s team was headed by HE the Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari.
The meeting discussed the current problem of smoking in the Middle East region, and the plans to address it, as well as the tasks and work protocols of the ministerial group.
During the meeting, HE Dr al-Kuwari stressed the importance of adopting and activating comprehensive and effective policies in fighting the use of tobacco products nationally and regionally, in accordance with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and the six policies package programme for tobacco control.
She added that reaching a 30% reduction in tobacco consumption by 2025 requires a lot more serious work on the part of all parties involved, and especially amongst affected children.
The ministerial group compromises of six countries: Qatar, Oman, Jordan, Tunisia, Iran and Pakistan.
Qatar will preside over the group for a year, whereas the group will continue its work for two years with possibility of renewal by 2025.
The group convenes twice a year, and is working towards enhancing policies that aim to reach a 30% tobacco reduction between 2010 and 2025.
The group encourages strategic leadership and work in combating tobacco and nicotine products on both a national and regional level, in addition to holding a high ranking discussion about the policies dedicated to this cause, and encouraging its implementation nationally and regionally.
The group designs protocols and strategies for confronting interference by tobacco producers that attempt to bypass efforts to combat tobacco use.
The six policies package is known as six MPOWER measures, and they are:
* Monitoring tobacco use and preventative measures
* Protecting people from tobacco smoke
* Offering help to quit
* Warning about the dangers of tobacco
* Enforcing bans on advertising, promotion and sponsorship
* Raising taxes on tobacco.
The meeting discussed the current problem of smoking in the Middle East region, and the plans to address it, as well as the tasks and work protocols of the ministerial group.
During the meeting, HE Dr al-Kuwari stressed the importance of adopting and activating comprehensive and effective policies in fighting the use of tobacco products nationally and regionally, in accordance with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and the six policies package programme for tobacco control.
She added that reaching a 30% reduction in tobacco consumption by 2025 requires a lot more serious work on the part of all parties involved, and especially amongst affected children.
The ministerial group compromises of six countries: Qatar, Oman, Jordan, Tunisia, Iran and Pakistan.
Qatar will preside over the group for a year, whereas the group will continue its work for two years with possibility of renewal by 2025.
The group convenes twice a year, and is working towards enhancing policies that aim to reach a 30% tobacco reduction between 2010 and 2025.
The group encourages strategic leadership and work in combating tobacco and nicotine products on both a national and regional level, in addition to holding a high ranking discussion about the policies dedicated to this cause, and encouraging its implementation nationally and regionally.
The group designs protocols and strategies for confronting interference by tobacco producers that attempt to bypass efforts to combat tobacco use.
The six policies package is known as six MPOWER measures, and they are:
* Monitoring tobacco use and preventative measures
* Protecting people from tobacco smoke
* Offering help to quit
* Warning about the dangers of tobacco
* Enforcing bans on advertising, promotion and sponsorship
* Raising taxes on tobacco.
