Major Issues and Challenges for Tobacco Control in South-East Asia

Currently 5.1 million people die every year globally from tobacco use, out of which 1.2 million die in the South-East Asia Region alone. The Region is amongst the largest producers and consumers of tobacco products. The widespread use of smokeless tobacco products in the Region has complicated the tobacco control situation. The Region hosts more than half of the world’s poor and is also one of most TB prevalent regions globally. Incidentally, both poverty and TB are closely linked to tobacco use and smoking and have added a new dimension for tobacco control.

Building national capacity continues to be a major challenge for tobacco control in the Region. Tobacco being a multisectoral issue, the anti-tobacco work needs to be coordinated with other relevant areas of work. Educating public and policy makers and enhancing their knowledge about the dangers of tobacco use is a key component of the Regional Tobacco Control Programme.

The introduction of the Bloomberg Global Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use has ushered in new opportunities and challenges for tobacco control in the Region. While it has brought in resources for some specific areas of tobacco control, the development and implementation of the initiative has been a challenge as the initiative involves a number of outside organizations as partners. The initiative is expected to strengthen tobacco control efforts in particular, tobacco surveillance in the Region.

Goal

To protect present and future generations from the devastating health, social, economic and environmental consequences of tobacco consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke. 

Objective

To reduce continually and substantially the prevalence of tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke through implementing effective tobacco control measures and assisting countries in their efforts to implement the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

Strategy to Achieve the Goal and Objective

      Strengthening national capacity for tobacco control;

      Undertaking advocacy, public education, awareness raising, dissemination of information and community mobilization;

      Assisting countries to develop, enact and implement tobacco control legislation and fiscal measures to reduce tobacco use;

      Assisting countries in implementing the WHO FCTC effectively;

      Undertaking research , collecting and collating data on tobacco and establishing regional and national databases and surveillance system for tobacco control;

      Integrating tobacco control elements into relevant programmes, such as TB;

      Strengthening the Regional Tobacco Control Programme through the Bloomberg Global Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use.

Contact us

For all inquiries please contact:

Dr. Khalilur Rahman

Coordinator for Tobacco Control

Tobacco Free Initiative

Regional Office for South-East Asia

World Health Organization

New Delhi – 110 002, India

Tel: 00-91-11-2337 0804 (extension: 26501)

Fax: 00-91-11- 2337 0197 and 00-91-11-2337 9395

Email: tfi@searo.who.int