Tobacco a leading cause of sickness, says Health Minister
Youngsters who smoke might soon suffer from cancers, heart attack and other diseases because tobacco is a major cause of ill-health, the Ministry of Health has warned.
A report from the Ministry shows that there is an increase in smoking among the youth and that nicotine in tobacco shortens the users’ lifespan by 14 years.
Health Minister Christine Ondoa said there is need to protect the youth through a joint action to control tobacco use nationwide.
“No country can afford the luxury of sending mixed signals to the population on a matter that affects a huge portion of the population like that of tobacco,” she said at the launch of the Centre for Tobacco Control in Africa (CTCA) in Wakiso District on Tuesday.
The facility based at Kasangati Health Centre will serve five countries in the Great Lakes region and is aimed at campaigning for reduction of tobacco use by supporting governments in implementing tobacco control strategies in Africa.
Early stages
“Africa is at an early stage of the tobacco epidemic with the prevalence of tobacco smoking among the youth ranging from 8 to 43 per cent for boys and 5 to 30 per cent for girls,” a study by CTCA indicates.
In Uganda, 22 per cent of males and 4 per cent of females between the ages of 15 to 49 years do smoke, said Dr Ondoa.
She said the establishment of the centre will help government to develop a policy and law for tobacco control.
“This campaign against tobacco is to save humanity. It is our duty and responsibility as public health professionals, governments and civil society to spearhead the efforts geared towards combating such a growing epidemic as that of tobacco,” Dr Ondoa said.
Smoking is also said to cause problems to pregnant women and health experts say “those who smoke throughout their pregnancies increase the risk of premature rupture of the membranes and premature birth”.
Maracha District Woman MP Molly Ondoru decried the acidity of tobacco crop, saying it has destroyed the soil. “Many people are suffering from famine in West Nile because they have failed to diversify from growing tobacco to food crops,” Ms Ondoru said.
The World Health Organisation Regional Director for Africa, Dr Joaquim Sewaka, said the CTCA launch is an important entry point into tobacco control on the continent.
“Today we are under siege from communicable diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/Aids, yet Non-Communicable Diseases such as cancer and heart diseases are also increasing,” Dr Sewaka said.
