ATIM and ACBF enhance capacity of tobacco control stakeholders in Africa

By Albert Allotey

Accra, Oct. 14, GNA – Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Minister of Health has called on tobacco control stakeholders in African countries to build their capabilities to strengthen defence against tobacco industry interference. 

He said, “Through shared learning, peer exchange, and collaborative networks, we can elevate our collective voice in global tobacco control fora.  

“The diversity of experience across regions – from East to West, Central to Southern Africa, is exactly the strength we need.” 

Mr Akandoh made the call in an address read on his behalf to open a five-day training on Tobacco Industry Monitoring and Response in Accra being hosted by the Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development (VAST-Ghana). 

It is under the auspices of the Africa Centre for Tobacco Industry and Policy Research (ATIM) and African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) on the theme: “Building Capacity in Industry Monitoring for Effective Tobacco Control Advocacy in Africa.” 

The programme is aimed at providing capacity-building support to African tobacco control advocates, researchers, and policymakers in target countries, especially through offering a training course on tobacco industry monitoring and strategies for countering tobacco industry interference (TII). 

It drew delegates from 10 African countries. 

Mr Akandoh asked the trainees to see themselves as champions, mentors, and multipliers of change in their home countries and use the opportunity to build strategies that are contextually adaptive, bold, and sustainable.  

‘Strengthen alliances with government, civil society, academia, media, and youth that transcend sectors,” he stated, adding, “Ghana’s door is open, gain knowledge, forge partnerships, and leave emboldened to act”.  

“Let us together accelerate progress toward a tobacco-free generation in Africa,” the Minister said. 

Professor Lekan Ayo-Yusuf, Director, Africa Centre for Tobacco Industry Monitoring and Policy Research, University of Pretoria and the facilitator of the workshop said the event would help build African network to safeguard nations from commercial influence. 

He said topics would be delivered by experts from across Africa, the U.S., and U.K., that would focuse on digital monitoring tools, advocacy planning, and governance for Article 5.3 implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. 

Mr Labram Musah, the Executive Director of VAST-Ghana said hosting the training programme in Ghana was an opportunity for the country to strengthen its tobacco control efforts and consolidate the achievement made over the years.  

He indicated that tobacco industry interferences continue to be a huge stumbling block towards an effective control in Ghana and in many other African countries, and that building the capacity of stakeholders is fundamental in exposing industry influence in policymaking, improving policy development and ultimately saving lives. 

He expressed gratitude to ATIM and ACBF for building the capacities of Africans to support the continent in fighting one of the biggest public health threats of the 21st Century. 

GNA 

Edited by Kenneth Odeng Adade