Gambia Tobacco Industry Mapping Report Discussed
The Non-communicable Disease Unit under the Directorate of Health Promotion and Education at the Ministry of Health on Wednesday gathered reporters to brief them on the Gambia Tobacco Industry Mapping Report.
On 6 November 2020, the Tobacco Control Committee established the Tobacco Industry Monitoring team in response to the need to monitor, document, counter and denounce tobacco industry tactics and strategies.
On 3 and 4 February 2021, the team mapped out the tobacco industry in The Gambia and their respective points of sale.
Other findings were subsequently made on subversive activities of tobacco industry and development of the report.
Their findings also included subversive activities intended to weaken tobacco control efforts in The Gambia over the last few years.
The objective of the mapping was to have first-hand information on the tobacco industry and its interference strategies and tactics in The Gambia.
Data on the existing tobacco industry in The Gambia, taxes and number of direct employment created, and other information relevant to the advancement of tobacco control efforts was also collected.
The Director of Health Promotion at the Ministry of Health, Modou Njai, yesterday told a press conference that the report would be circulated to sensitize the public on violations of tobacco laws.
Njai explains that the authorities are in the know of some of the tactics used to contravene the country’s tobacco control laws.
He further said that a lot of efforts and resources have been put in the tobacco act as well as the regulations.
However, Njie lamented that compliance with the guidelines put in place by the monitoring team remains a problem in some quarters.
The Program Manager at the Non-communicable Disease Unit, Omar Badjie, highlights the crucial role the media can play in enlightening the public on tobacco control laws.
Tobacco industry interference remains a critical component that undermines, delays and subverts tobacco control interventions.