ISLAMABAD, (Parliament Time) : Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH) hosted a Civil Society Alliance Symposium consisting of Vice Chancellor Health Services Academy ,Chairperson Sidra Akhter Foundation,Representative of (SPARC),Coordinator Monitoring lady wing Islamabad, medical experts, lawyers and Journalists. The event was organized to highlight the vulnerability of youth towards initiating cigarette smoking in Pakistan and to demand the government for an action to control this epidemic.
Sana Ullah Ghumman, General Secretary and Director Operations PANAH, while addressing the audience said that A research study released by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) also revealed ,In Pakistan, there are 22 million tobacco users, wherein 60pc are adolescents. 1.5 million cases of oral cancer are reported by Pakistan Medical Association on a yearly basis.
Prof Dr Shakeel Ahmad Mirza said that Tobacco is one of the leading causes of non-cmmunicable diseases(NCDs) in Pakistan and we must protect our youth from its dire health harms at all cost.
Vice Chancellor Health Services Academy Shehzad Ali Khan said that tobacco use has spread like an epidemic in the country and if it is not controlled in time, its harmful effects will lead to more deadly diseases.
Khalil Ahmad Project Maneger SPARC said that The campaign claims that majority of the market share of tobacco is of illicit trade without citing any independent study or data. By exaggerating the illicit share, tobacco industry prevents government from increasing any taxes on tobacco.
Roohi Hashmi Coordinator monitoring Pti ladies wing Islamabad said that the tobacco industry has been leading a mega campaign in the media and social media featuring prominent celebrities to spread misinformation in order to deter government from imposing any higher taxes on tobacco.
Lawyer Nazir Tabassum said that According to the Tobacco Control Journal, the illicit trade in tobacco in the country does not exceed 9%. However, the government is falling for the industry backed information and as a result we have not seen any increase in tobacco taxes in the last three years.
Chairperson Sidra Akhter Foundation Sidra Akhter ,sajeela khan ,Amna and other participants said that According to World Health Organisation increasing taxes is the single most effective policy against tobacco consumption. We are hopeful that the government would pay attention to the demands and make Pakistan tobacco free.
…………………………
Caption:
Participants addressing the Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH) Civil Society Alliance Symposium.
Group photo of participants at the Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH) Civil Society Alliance Symposium.
……………………………………
Attachments area