Training of trainers at PIMS on 4th

Islamabad : The Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination is organising a one-day training of trainers on April 4 at the auditorium of the Mother and Child Hospital of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad.

The event is being held on the direction of Federal Minister for National Health Services and Regulation Aamer Mehmood Kiani to build the capacity of designated focal persons for enforcement nominated by federal ministries,

In a letter issued to all federal ministries and divisions, joint secretary (admin) of the NHSRC ministry has said global tobacco epidemic kills nearly seven million people each year and of them, more than 600,000 are non-smoker’s dying from breathing second-hand smoke.

More than 80% of these preventable deaths are among people living in low and middle income countries. In Pakistan, tobacco is a cause of death of around 160,000 persons every year. To protect the lives of the people of Pakistan, the government is implementing “Tobacco-Smoke Free Islamabad” through awareness, signage, and enforcement of tobacco control laws.

The District Implementation & Monitoring Committee (DI&MC) on tobacco control works under the Deputy Commissioner Islamabad, for implementing tobacco control laws in the Capital.

The Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smoker’s Health Ordinance, 2002 is the main legal framework for implementation. Pakistan is a signatory to Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and fast tracks tobacco control efforts as part of UN Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The WHO has categorized it as “Tobacco-A threat to development”.

To benefit from the leading role in the dissemination of awareness on hazards of tobacco use and implementation of tobacco control laws in ministries and divisions, the Ministry of NHSRC has invited focal persons to one-day Training of Trainers (TOT).

Afterward, the ministry issued letters to all focal persons, elaborating the provisions of the law, powers delegated and procedure of taking cognizance of offence. The building the capacity of focal persons for enforcement will be helpful in enforcing tobacco control laws and curbing tobacco epidemic leading to save the people's lives.