Media asked to join tobacco fight

TOBACCO|CONTROL

Baguma talking to journalists in Soroti. Photo by Emmanuel Opio

Media practitioners in Teso sub-region have been asked to put more emphasis on health stories, which target the enforcement of the Tobacco Control Act 2015.

This was revealed during a capacity-building training for media practitioners organised by Uganda Health Communication Alliance (UHCA) held at Etop Radio in Soroti Municipality on Thursday.

The training under the theme: "Communication empowerment for media and health practitioners", targeted presenters, reporters, editors and sale persons. 

Richard Baguma, the UHCA co-ordinator, said the media has paid less priority to the dangers of tobacco use.

"Tobacco is ignored, yet it causes tuberculosis, which is a killer disease. It is high time you started reporting about the dangers of tobacco to sensitise people on the need to stop smoking" Baguma said.

Statistics from World Health Organisation show there are one billion smokers worldwide and Tobacco kills seven million people annually.

Dan Outa, the Etop newspaper deputy editor described the training as timely and thanked UHCA for organising it for reporters. He promised to engage reporters regarding stories about Tobacco control.

One of the reporters, Tolbert Edait, said there is need need for the Government to demolish factories that manufacture Tobacco since it has adverse effects on even passive smokers.

"The training is beneficial, but enforcement of the Tobacco control act by the Police is still weak," Edait said. 

The Uganda Tobacco Control Act 2015, which was enacted in May 2015, prohibits smoking in public places. It also demands for display of notices stopping smoking in public.

The Act also bans supply and involvement of minors below 21 years of age in processes of production, sale and use of tobacco products and bans importation, manufacture and sale of tobacco products.