Ghana celebrated World No Tobacco Day on 31st May 2016 in an Exhibition on Pictorial Warnings organized by the Vision for Alternative Development (VALD), The Ghana Health Service and its partners, including WHO, with the theme “Get Ready for Plain Packaging” at the GNAT Hall, in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.  

Present at the function were the Regional Director for health Services (RDHS) - Dr Alexis Nang-Beifubah, Deputy Director and Focal Person for Tobacco Control, Ghana Health Service- Dr Kyei-Faried, Health Promotion Officer, WCO, Ghana-Mrs. Joana Ansong , Regional Chairman, Coalition of NGOs in Health- Mr. Christian Dapaah , Programs Director- Vision for Alternative  Development (VALD)- Mr. Labram Musah , students from Senior High Schools and Health Professionals among others.

Delivering the Keynote Address, Dr Alexis mentioned that tobacco was a leading preventable cause of death,, and nearly eighty percent (80%) of the more than one billion (˃1,000,000,000) smokers worldwide lived in low and middle income countries like Ghana, where the burden of tobacco related illness and death was heaviest. He emphasized that the tobacco epidemic was one of the biggest public health threats the world had ever faced, killing nearly six million people yearly. “Tobacco and tobacco products have a negative effect on almost every organ of the body. It causes many diseases, reduces the health of smokers in general and also affects the health of second hand smokers as well” he added.  Dr Alexis finally called on the youth to desist from using tobacco products since tobacco is addictive and once the habit is acquired, very difficult to stop. 

In a presentation by the tobacco focal person of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Kyei-Faried indicated that currently in Ghana there was an emerging trend of tobacco usage with regards to shisha and electronic cigarettes. “Shisha are water pipes that are used to smoke specially made tobacco that is usually flavoured. Enthusiasts say the fruit-flavoured tobacco tastes smooth and smells sweet, making it an enjoyable and unrushed experience” he explained.

Dr Kyei-Faried emphasized that although many users think it was less harmful, hookah smoking had many of the same health risks as cigarette smoking. Even after it had passed through water, the smoke from shisha had high levels of toxic agents. He added that an hour long session of shisha smoking is estimated to be the equivalent of smoking about 100 to 200 sticks of cigarettes.

The Health Promotion Officer, WCO, Ghana, Ms. Joana Ansong reiterated the need for plain packaging saying it was an evidence-based measure that protects public health and will save many lives. She advised that plain packaging should be used in conjunction with other interventions as part of a comprehensive multi-sectoral approach to tobacco control.

Ms. Joana Ansong also explained that WHO refers to plain packaging of tobacco products as the prohibition of the use of logos, colours, brand images or promotional information on tobacco packaging other than brand names and product names displayed in a standard colour and font style. She added that evidence shows that plain packaging reduces the attractiveness of tobacco products, restricts use of tobacco packaging as a form of tobacco advertising and promotion, limits misleading packaging and labelling, and increases the effectiveness of health warnings.  
Representative of the Foods and Drugs Authority (FDA), Ms Abigail Attah, mentioned that FDA, Ghana ensured that labelling for retail tobacco products, whether locally manufactured or imported, carried health warnings that conform to the following as per section 63 of Part six of the Public Health Act (Act 851):

Also, the Authority ensured that all forms of advertisements and promotions by the tobacco companies were prohibited as stated in Section 60 of the public health Act 2012 (Acts 851).

“The regulated tobacco industries in Ghana are so far conforming to the law by using Text Health Warnings which should not be less than 50% of the principal display panel of the package.  Meanwhile as an immediate plan of FDA, Ghana, the regulated community will be required to progressively migrate to the use of Pictorial Health Warnings towards the achievement of the long awaited International best practice of Plain Packaging” Ms Attah added.

There were also solidarity messages delivered by representatives from Vision for Alternative Development (VALD) and the Coalition of NGOs in Health

Invited guest were conducted round the exhibited pictorial warnings from different countries.  This was to serve as a learning process for Ghana even as it gears towards implementing plain packaging for tobacco products.

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01 Dr Alexis, RDHS delivering the keynote address
02 Dr Kyei-Faried being interviewed by a cross section of the media
03 Ms Joana Ansong making a remark
04 Mr. Labram Musah delivering a solidarity message