WHO experts in Hanoi for regional tobacco workshop

WHO medical experts and delegates from 10 regional countries are gathering in Hanoi for a three-day workshop on building a fund for tobacco harm prevention and control, and health improvement.

Addressing the opening ceremony on Sept. 14, Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Thi Xuyen emphasized that smoking has greatly affected both economic activity and people’s health.

The workshop is an opportunity for regional countries to discuss the fund’s benefits in improving people’s health, said Xuyen, who added that it aims to gain international support for the establishment of the fund in Vietnam.

During the workshop, participants will discuss models and mechanisms for consolidating legal and financial environments as well as tobacco control programmes at national and regional levels.

In Vietnam, the Ministry of Public Health is coordinating with the Ministry of Finance to devise tobacco harm prevention and control models. The ministry is also working with other relevant ministries and sectors to implement a smoke-free environment. -VOV

Posted by VBN on Sep 15 2010. Filed under Health & Drugs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry