The Ministry of Health (MoH), through its representatives, held a public participation in Uasin Gishu to gather views regarding the introduction of new graphical warning images portrayed on cigarette packets to warn and inform the public of its side effects.
Speaking during the event, a member of the Tobacco Control Board and Representative of the Kenya Medical Association, Dr. Leon Ogoti, said the graphic health warning on cigarette packets served to offer consumers and potential consumers information on the harmful medically identified side effects.
“We have come up with new warnings as required by law to change them every three years. The Ministry of Health has developed these warnings about seventeen of them, and now what comes after that? These warnings should be brought to the public so that we can collect feedback. Many stakeholders are involved as well, including manufacturers, retailers, distributors, and consumers,” he affirmed.
Ogoti added that in 2003, Kenya ratified the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which led to the introduction of the Tobacco Control Act of 2007 and regulations of 2014. Section 21 of this Control Act talks about Graphic Health warnings to inform the public about the dangers of taking these drugs so that they can make informed decisions.
He added that the intention was to collect views across the country, which would be presented to the relevant authorities so as to provide the correct information.
“We have collected divergent views; some people agree and some do not. Many of us are aware of the effects, and some are not. However, public education on the Tobacco Control Act is something that we will continue to improve on,” added Ogoti.
He noted that challenges do exist when it comes to implementation with regards to enforcement, as this is a public health issue, and public education also requires resources so as to mobilise effectively.
Ogoti indicated that to achieve improvement, all stakeholders have been on board throughout the process, more so as it approaches World No Tobacco Day on May 31.
Anne Kendagor, from the MoH Division of Drugs and Substance Use Prevention and Control, affirmed that they were training law enforcers across the 47 counties, in port entries and border posts.
Noting that the government has a road map of enforcement and surveillance throughout the country, she said that the ministry still faced a challenge with resources as it lacked enough staff to help with the work.
In his remarks, Douglas Weru, a manufacturer from British American Tobacco (BAT), said the current Tobacco Control Act enacted in 2007 was not adequate because there are so many changes and newer products have come up.
“The law should be amended to be able to accommodate them. Additionally, advertisements for tobacco products are restricted by law because of the health-related issues which come with its use, especially combustible cigarettes. BAT respects that and adheres to it fully to avoid unwelcome situations with the government as an industry,” affirmed Weru.
He said that the technical teams should adhere to societal needs and convey truth and correctness at all times, noting that some of the images used on tobacco products were factual and correlated with the risks associated with them, while others were not and ended up misleading the users.
He further explained that tobacco products cause addiction, and it is not easy to overcome it once users have grown up being used to it. However, he noted that banning tobacco may not solve the issue, since the users would end up looking for an alternative.
The Chairman of Bar, Hotels, and Liquor Traders (BAHLITA) in Uasin Gishu County, Holliab Lodenyo, noted that the government should introduce regulations like smoking zones for people to smoke, as this would ensure that smokers were in a convenient environment and not affect others as passive smokers.
Chief Executive Officer of the Consumer Information Network (CIN), Samuel Ochieng, commended the efforts by the Ministry of Health to show the graphical warning images to warn and inform the public on the effects of tobacco on the health of individuals.
“There are so many countries that have banned the use of nicotine and tobacco because of the dangers it poses to human health. I would therefore call upon the county government and public health officers to implement the Tobacco Control Act and Regulation of 2014 to the letter so that the individuals going against the regulations face the law,” affirmed Ochieng.
Joel Gitali, Kenya Tobacco Control and Health Promotion Alliance, added that the Ministry of Health should come up with a braille system so that Persons with Disability (PWD) of blindness may be able to get the intended information.
By Angela Silayo and Geraldine Mueni
