Policy & Regulations
Update on Tobacco Control Act and Action by Ministry to implement section 9 of the Tobacco control Act Cap 245A
Introduction
The country signed and ratified the World Health Organization framework Convention on Tobacco control in the year 2005 May. This global convention expresses the will of about 6 billion people from 179 member states of the World Health Organization to enact strong policies to control tobacco and tobacco products use. This decision was informed by the rising burden of cancer and other non communicable diseases to which tobacco smoking is a risk factor.
The Kenya Government domesticated the WHOFCTC in line with the Kenya Constitution by enacting the Tobacco control Act Cap 245A of 2007.
The expectation of the implementation required the MOH / stakeholders to come up with regulation to impact the broader issues as in the Act. The process of making regulations was started in 2009 and the draft regulations were gazetted.
Implementation of information, education and communication
The Tobacco Control Act Part 3 provides for information, education and communication and bestows this function on the Government through section 9. This report therefore, provides achievements and milestones by the Government to realize this particular role.
• With the support from civil societies under the umbrella of Kenya Tobacco Control Alliance( KETCA) the Government has reached out to learning institutions with a purpose of educating young generation on effects of tobacco smoking. Almost 50 % of the institutions have been visited by Public health officers and health promotion officers.
• Awareness has also been created to the general public through the world no tobacco days celebrated on 31st May every year. This has been done through songs, plays and drama by various groups including University students. This has been with the support from World health Organization and partners dealing with Tobacco control in Kenya.
• The tobacco control board and the tobacco control units have frequently reached the general public through electronic media to inform them of harmful effects of tobacco smoking.
• The ministry has also reached out to the general public through print media by publishing the Tobacco control Act and the 2014 regulations.
• The awareness, information and education to the general public has been achieved through distribution of printed smokers’ body. Currently the Ministry has distributed almost 2,000,000 smokers’ body to all public and private institutions all over the country. Though the institutions were not sufficiently covered.
32 November-December 2016