DoH launches tobacco control strategy

Ivanhoe C. Escartin, director of the DoH-National Tobacco Control Coordinating Office, said the NTCS is the country’s first-ever comprehensive and coordinated approach with clear and measurable targets by 2016. “The NTCS reflects the government’s political commitment to strengthen national capacities to address the rising incidence, developmental challenges, the social economic impact of non-communicable diseases (NCDs),” Mr. Escartin said during the dissemination forum with stakeholders from all over the country.

Mr. Escartin added the strategy is also a move for the complete implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC) to protect public health from the devastating effect of tobacco use. In the Philippines, two of the 10 leading causes of morbidity and seven of the 10 leading causes of mortality today are NCDs. Major causes affecting the lives of the people are linked by the common and preventable biological risk factors such as high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, overweight; and by related major behavioral risk factors such as unhealthy diet and nutrition, physical inactivity, excessive alcohol drinking and tobacco use.

“About 10 Filipinos are killed by the hour due to tobacco-related diseases. And unlike many other dangerous substances, tobacco-related diseases usually do not begin for years or a decade after tobacco use starts,” Mr. Escartin said. Meanwhile, for the Philippines to implement the WHO-FCTC, Mr. Escartin said the DoH has engaged government agencies, civil society and nongovernment organizations to take action within their social, cultural, occupational and political networks of influence and came up with the NCTS 2011-2016. He said the goals of the strategy are the attainment of the lowest possible prevalence of tobacco use and the highest level of protection from secondhand smoke. Tobacco is the single most preventable cause of death in the world today.