According to a survey conducted by World Health Organization – WHO, Over 1.3 million people died of tobacco consumption in Southeast Asia every year. This Southeast Asian region is consisting of nearly 250 million smokers. According to a senior official of World Health Organization, Dr. Poonam Khetrapal Singh, regional director for South-East Asia, said: “We know that tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable deaths.”

World Health Organisation Statistics on Tobacco:

In an inauguration meeting of WHO’s South-East Asia regional committee, she discussed about setting health priorities and the health agenda for the region. “Worldwide, tobacco use kills nearly six million people annually with over 600,000 deaths due to exposure to second hand smoke,” she elaborated. Timor-Leste became the first new state of the 21st century when it achieved sovereignty on May 20, 2002.

An official said that “as the region was one of the largest producers and users of tobacco products are more in number” such deaths are occurring. “Many types of smoking and smokeless tobacco products are used in the region, which poses difficulties to harmonize taxation and regulations for controlling tobacco use.” When asked about the steps taken by India on tobacco control as compared to its regional partners at a press conference, she said.

India has “expressed an intention” to increase the size of pictorial warning on one side of the tobacco pack from 40 percent to 80 percent of the packet. She then declined to comment whether India would go ahead with its earlier commitment on pictorial warning. Many countries had established smoke-free public places and banned advertisement of tobacco products. Although India is signatory to the WHO convention on tobacco control, India was not represented at the ministerial level at the regional meeting.

“Tobacco use in South-East Asia is alarmingly high, triggering major health and economic consequences. Tougher actions are needed for tobacco control and prevention. Countries must equally tax all tobacco products, ban tobacco advertisements, enforce pictorial warning on cigarette packs and implement ban on public smoking,” said Poonam Khetrapal Singh. The Regional Committee meeting from 7 – 11 September will discuss the health agenda for the Region.

It will deliberate on key issues such as preparing to respond to health emergencies, the growing anti-microbial resistance which threatens to undo the advances made with the use of antibiotics, prevention and control of cancer, expanding universal health coverage and elimination of neglected tropical diseases.