|
|
|
H.E. Prof. Kyaw Myint and dignitaries
visiting the mini-exhibition displayed by the National Tobacco Control Programme.
|
On 31 May 2010, the Ministry of Health, Myanmar, in close
collaboration with WHO, organized the official commemoration ceremony of the
World No-Tobacco Day, 2010 at the conference hall of the Ministry of Health,
Nay Pyi Taw. The ceremony was attended by the H.E.
Minister for Health, Prof. Kyaw Myint, H.E. Deputy
Minister for Health, Prof. Mya Oo, Directors-General and senior officials
from the Ministry of Health and other ministries, representatives from the
Myanmar Women Affairs Federation, Myanmar Maternal and Child Welfare
Association and other non-governmental organizations. In addition, about 500
people representing the civil society and community members were also present
at the occasion.
First, Prof Kyaw Myint, H.E. the Minister gave a speech
highlighting the progress of tobacco control programme
in Myanmar
being carried out by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with WHO. He gave special emphasis to the activities related to
control tobacco promotion and marketing. He also recalled the key successes
in the area, including the formulation and passing of the “Control of Smoking
and Consumption of Tobacco Product Law”. Later, Dr Leonard, Ag WHO
Representative to Myanmar,
read out the message from Dr Samlee Plianbangchang, the Regional Director for WHO South East
Asia Region on the occasion of World No Tobacco Day 2010. The message called
attention to the facts and figures on prevalence of tobacco use in the South-East
Asia Region and activities being carried out by Member States concerning
tobacco control measures and importance of comprehensive tobacco control
strategies, including gender-specific tobacco control programmes.
After the ceremony, the dignitaries and invited guests viewed the
mini-exhibition displayed by the Tobacco Free Initiative Programme
of the Ministry of Health featuring various tobacco control activities that
took place in the recent years.
The main ceremony was followed by a Technical Seminar on
Gender and Tobacco, in which five eminent speakers, including the Ag WHO
Representative to Myanmar,
made presentations. The presentations mainly focused on topics related to
gender and tobacco but also covered various other aspects of tobacco control.
The seminar was attended by H.E. Prof Mya Oo, Deputy Minister, Ministry of
Health, among others. After all presentations, comments and questions raised
by the participants were responded by the speakers.
|
))
