Ghana - WHO FCTC meeting - alternatives to growing tobacco..

April 18, 2010 - Ghana is to host the Second Working Group meeting on World Health Organisation (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in Accra, the capital, from April 21-23. This second meeting of the working group is also the first time a working group meeting is being held in Africa.

A statement issued in Accra on Friday by the Ministry of Health (MOH) said Dr. Benjamin Kunbuor would address the opening session. It said the meeting would come up with policy options and recommendations for countries to follow as they seek alternative livelihoods for tobacco growers and traders.

"Most producers of tobacco growing and manufacturers are in developing countries and those with economies in transition and they suffer the double burden of the negative effects of tobacco production and consumption", it said.

African countries with such heavy burden of growing and production include Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique and Nigeria. The statement said these countries needed support to be able to offer their farmers and producers alternative livelihood.

The meeting would be attended by 40 delegates from 18-member countries of the working group including Ghana, the Head of WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Secretariat, representatives of WHO and civil society organisations. The meeting attended by about 25 health journalists discussed, identified and suggested how the commitment made could be effectively and efficiently achieved.

As a prelude to the meeting a media workshop has been organised in Accra to discuss progress made by Ghana with regard to the implementation of the WHO conventions on tobacco control.

Reference: 2nd WHO-FCTC Meeting opens in Accra by GBC News, 4/16/2010; Ghana to host meeting on WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco control, GhanaNewsAgency.org, 4/16/2010.

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