Malawi Environment Health Association (MEHA) says there is a need for Malawi to have an anti-public smoking policy to curb diseases and deaths caused by second-hand smoking.
MEHA president, Save Kumwenda, said diseases such as lung cancer and pulmonary diseases require a lot of resources in the healthcare system, thereby putting pressure on the healthcare budget.
According to World Health Organization (WHO) statistics, over 5,000 Malawians are killed by tobacco-caused diseases annually.
The statistics further show that 6 million people die annually around the globe from smoking, with 600,000 people dying from living in an environment of smokers.
Malawi’s smoking rate among men is 12% and for women is less than 1%, according to Global Action to End Smoking.
WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), in its latest report, has called on member states to put in place measures aimed at creating smoke-free public areas to eliminate the dangers of secondhand smoke.
Currently, Malawi is not a party to WHO FCTC and has no restrictions on tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship.
By Alufisha Fischer
