An assessment training was con...

An assessment training was conducted on issues that need to be addressed in tobacco smoke control. 19/2/2018 A.D. Addis Ababa City Administration Food and Drug Authority in collaboration with Mathews Wondu Foundation conducted a two-day training on tobacco smoke control. The training was conducted for the Tobacco Control Task Force, branch office managers, civic associations, local authorities, as well as experts from the Ethiopian Food and Drug Administration to effectively control tobacco in the city by understanding the current situation of international and national tobacco control processes and legal frameworks. The Deputy General Manager of the Authority’s Regulatory Sector, Ato Enga Ereketa, who was present at the forum, said that the Authority has been working on various initiatives to carry out its tobacco control duties and responsibilities, focusing on two basic issues: creating awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco and creating accountability within legal frameworks. This has resulted in visible changes. He added that to strengthen this, it is necessary to enhance the role of the surrounding stakeholders and to use the good opportunities associated with the country’s transformation to further increase its effectiveness. In his report on the current status of tobacco control in Addis Ababa and the results of the control, the Director of the Food and Health Institutions Control of the Authority, Ato Estefanos Getachew, stated that the creation of smoke-free model institutions, the increase in traders who have stopped selling tobacco products, the reduction of health risks caused by tobacco smoke, and the increase in the number of victims who are making various efforts to quit the addiction are some of the changes that have been observed. He also mentioned that some institutions have not made themselves smoke-free, the increase in illegal street traders, and the increase in online commerce are some of the challenges facing the effectiveness of the control. The training focused on six key areas of focus in tobacco control, including tobacco control mechanisms, taxation and multi-sectoral responses, tobacco advertising and promotion, and sponsorship (Article 13), as well as tobacco health warnings on product packaging and packaging, tobacco use and policies, how to protect people from tobacco harm and how to help those who are struggling to quit. The training was delivered by industry experts from the Mathews Wondu Foundation, the Health Development and Anti-Malaria Association, and the Ethiopian Food and Drug Authority, who covered key strategies and policies used by the tobacco industry to expand. Finally, the Deputy General Manager of the Authority's Regulatory Sector, Ato Enga Ereketa, delivered his message, saying that it is important for all stakeholders to do their part to eliminate tobacco smoke, work together through awareness creation and implementation of legal frameworks to bring about sustainable change.