June 19, 2023

New solutions urgently needed to tackle smoking worldwide: experts to convene in Poland at the Global Forum on Nicotine

GFN23

Tobacco harm reduction can hasten an end to smoking-related death and disease. Copyright-free photo by Mathew MacQuarrie on Unsplash.

WARSAW, Poland, June 19, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — International public health specialists, scientists, doctors, regulators, consumers and manufacturers are convening this week in the Polish capital to discuss new ways of tackling global smoking-related death and disease. Over four days, 70 speakers and hundreds of delegates at the tenth annual Global Forum on Nicotine (21 – 24 June) will focus on tobacco harm reduction, which encourages adults who cannot quit smoking to switch to safer nicotine products.

Despite decades of tobacco control efforts, a billion people still smoke worldwide, with eight million smoking-related deaths each year. Four in five smokers live in low- and middle-income countries, least able to cope with the resulting burden of disease, and smoking is a major cause of health inequalities in higher income countries. The thousands of toxins released when tobacco burns cause smoking-related diseases, not nicotine, which is a comparatively low-risk substance.

Vapes (e-cigarettes), pasteurised snus, nicotine pouches and heated tobacco products enable people to use nicotine without burning tobacco, significantly reducing health risks compared to continued smoking. Global estimates suggest 112 million people use these products, despite inconsistent regulation and outright prohibition in some countries. Smoking prevalence is falling faster where these products are available and appropriately regulated, such as in the UK, Sweden, Japan and New Zealand.

GFN23 will tackle the opportunities and challenges of tobacco harm reduction, including the development of regulatory systems that enable adult smokers to access safer products, while reducing youth uptake. Open to all, free live-streamed sessions from the event, translated from English to Spanish and Russian, will cover the last decade of science around safer nicotine products and their efficacy in smoking cessation, the environmental impact of safer products in comparison to combustible cigarettes and the detrimental impact of moral stances and ideology on science and regulation.

While it supports harm reduction for HIV/AIDS prevention and substance use, the World Health Organization opposes harm reduction for tobacco. Ibero-American experts at GFN23 will discuss the upcoming WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control COP10 in Panama this November, where decisions on the future of safer nicotine products may have grave implications for global public health.

Ahead of GFN23, Gerry Stimson, Emeritus Professor at Imperial College London and the event’s co-founder, called for international tobacco control leaders to adopt rational and pragmatic approaches that prioritise saving lives: “Ideology must be set aside and people must be supported to quit by all available means.”

The Global Forum on Nicotine (GFN) is the only international conference to focus on the role of safer nicotine products that help people switch from smoking, in an approach called tobacco harm reduction. Find out more and register to watch online sessions free at https://gfn.events/

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/feaca847-b6e8-4140-9da8-e5658737df26

Ruth Goldsmith, GFN23 Communications Lead
ruth@gfn.events
https://gfn.events/

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 1000825970

June 19, 2023

Malawi Controls Deadliest Cholera Outbreak in History

Malawi is emerging victorious in its battle against the deadliest cholera outbreak in the country’s history, which has killed nearly 2,000 people since its onset in March of last year. Health authorities say the country has seen a steady decline in the death rate, with no new cases or hospitalizations for the past two weeks.

A cholera report, which Malawi’s health ministry released Sunday, shows that the outbreak has been fully controlled in 21 districts. These include Chitipa, Dowa, Kasungu, Likoma, Mzimba South, Mzimba North, Mwanza, Nkhata Bay, Ntchisi, Phalombe and Lilongwe, which reported most of the cases.

Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda said in a statement that a few areas are still reporting cases. These areas include Balaka, Blantyre, Chikwawa, Machinga, Nsanje, Ntcheu, Salima and Zomba.

George Mbotwa, spokesperson of the health office in Nsanje district, said the district is recording an average of one or two cases per day, but that number is lower than the average of about 30 daily cases during the peak of the outbreak.

“We have continued to record cases because about 50 percent of Nsanje is bordered by Mozambique. And these cases are coming from across the borders,” he said. “We still have some local transmission but very minimal. And this is coming in because the adoption of hygiene behavior has been very slow.”

Mbotwa said the cross-border cases largely happen because most Mozambican nationals stay away from their country’s health facilities and seek medical assistance at Malawian hospitals.

He said, however, that efforts are being made to contain the cross-border cholera infections.

“We have done coordination meetings with Mozambican officials recently. … That’s the only activity that we have done but we find it very important because we are able to share prevention measures that we are implementing as countries,” Mbotwa said.

Malawi registered the first cholera case in March of last year.

Statistics from the Public Health Institute of Malawi show that the country has recorded 58,870 cumulative confirmed cases and 1,761 deaths.

Malawi, however, has now seen a steady decline in the death rate, with no new cases or hospitalizations in most districts for the past two weeks.

Health authorities attribute the success story to various anti-cholera interventions, including the nationwide vaccination campaign the government and World Health Organization rolled out in May of last year.

Also this past February, President Lazarus Chakwera launched a national campaign against cholera which saw authorities ban the sale of already cooked foods in open places.

Health experts, however, have warned Malawians against relaxing the prevention measures.

“We should remember that we have had cholera cases throughout dry season. Which should be a reason that we can have cholera cases any time not only during the rainy season. Therefore, we encourage Malawians to continue observing prevention measures,” said George Jobe, executive director for the Malawi Health Equity Network.

Cholera is an acute diarrheal infection caused by ingesting food or water contaminated with bacteria. The disease affects both children and adults and, if untreated, can kill within hours.

The health ministry has advised people with signs and symptoms of cholera to promptly go to the nearest treatment unit.

Source: Voice of America

June 19, 2023

Ilmotiok Residents Benefit From Subsidized Anthrax Vaccine

Residents of Ilmotiok ward in Narok West Sub County have a reason to smile after the county government, in collaboration with the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS), vaccinated hundreds of livestock against anthrax disease at a subsidized price.

Unlike in the past, where farmers paid Sh100 for the vaccine, now it has been subsidized to Sh40 so that more farmers can afford it.

The exercise that kicked off at the beginning of this month is expected to run for four weeks and target over 1,000 cows in the ward.

Ilmotiok Ward Health Officer Haron Kandie said the vaccination exercise follows increased cases of anthrax in the ward, thus compromising livestock production in the area.

Following the disease outbreak, he said, the county government collaborated with KRCS, which triggered a faster response to curb the disease, which is deadly to both human beings and animals.

‘This anthrax vaccination is very important because it prevents the spread of the disease that is deadly to both animals and people,’ said Kandie.

Gilbert Korir, a private veterinarian, said though anthrax vaccination is a continuous exercise, many farmers could not afford to pay Sh100 per livestock head, saying the current initiative has seen many farmers benefit from the subsidy.

Joyce Tanui, a community health volunteer working at KRCS, added that they have been conducting public awareness campaigns on livestock diseases in the area.

‘We have been conducting public awareness through village elders, in schools, churches, and chief’s barazas. We are happy that the turnout is high,’ said Ms. Tanui.

Celestine Ogutu, a Community Pandemic Preparedness Program (CP3) officer, said the organization had conducted training for community health volunteers on priority diseases like anthrax.

‘Our role as KRSC is to cascade information from our experts to the community health volunteers, who further disseminate it to the community,’ said Ogutu.

Ngelechei Benjamin, a resident and beneficiary of the program, appreciated the government and KRCS for the effort they have put in place to help them deal with the disease.

Source: Kenya News Agency

June 19, 2023

Religious Leaders To Undertake Theological Courses

Religious leaders in Tana River County have called upon preachers and church leaders to undertake theological courses in recognized Bible colleges before preaching to their congregations.

The clerics were speaking at the Hola County Commissioner’s boardroom Monday, while presenting their memoranda to the Committee formed to collect views aimed at regulating religious organizations in the country.

The Committee, chaired by Dr. Eli Rop, was told that for one to be allowed to lead or preach in a church, he or she should have a certificate, diploma, or degree from a Bible college and observe the rights of people in the church.

The Committee also heard that civic education should be undertaken for church members in order to establish whether the teachings in churches were not undermining their right to education, respect for the wellbeing of human rights, and the right to life.

Presenting their views, Evangelical Churches in Kenya Representative Reverend Richard Osoro called on the government to deal with church leaders who preach against human rights and rights to education in their churches, saying the law should only be applied to respective individuals found culpable but should not be punitive to all the church members or occasion the closure of the church all together.

Rev. Osoro also said lack of employment has contributed to many youths joining religious organizations that preach misleading doctrines to their church members.

Speaking at the same meeting, SUPKEM Tana River branch leader Musa Dido blamed the security personnel in the national government for the wrongful branding of Muslim youths as criminals or Al Shabaab agents.

Dido urged the government not to target Muslim youths but to approach SUPKEM leaders who know them better so that the rightful suspects could be presented to the relevant authorities, instead of the government agents going to the mosques to nab the suspects.

Source: Kenya News Agency

June 19, 2023

Churches Urged To Help Mitigate Climate Change Effects

Churches have been urged to take charge of mitigating the effects of climate change by growing trees not only in the church compound but also in their respective homes.

Speaking during a tree planting exercise in Baraka Worship Ministries Church in Kitengela, Miss Climate Kenya, Dorcas Naishorua Umaka, said that there is a need for churches to advocate for tree planting as part of their mandate.

‘In as much as we are also working with schools, churches also have collective and follow-up responsibility, which is key when it comes to growing trees. Taking care of the environment has always been emphasized in the church; the time is now ripe for its implementation through tree planting,’ said Naishorua.

Naishorua noted that when trees are grown, they help absorb excess greenhouse gases that are emitted, which is one of the causes of climate change.

Miss Climate Kenya also remarked that combating climate change will also help in addressing retrogressive cultures, especially within pastoralist communities.

‘Climate change has been a contributing factor that has led to a continuous trend in female genital mutilation and early marriages, as when there is drought, the girls are married off in exchange for hay for the livestock, which shouldn’t be the case,’ said Naishorua.

President William Ruto launched a nationwide tree-growing and restoration campaign in December 2022. The target of the campaign is to plant 15 billion trees by the year 2032, with each individual requested to plant 30 trees a year, amounting to 300 trees per person in 10 years.

All stakeholders, including community groups, NGOs, schools, churches, and farmers, are called upon to take active part by raising tree nurseries and planting trees in their compounds and forests in all 47 counties.

Miss Climate Kenya also led congregants at Free Pentecostal Worship Baraka and Paranae Church in planting trees after the service.

Source: Kenya News Agency

June 19, 2023

County Develops Women’s Peace, Security Action Plan

The UNDP K and the Swedish Embassy in Kenya, through the Partnership for Peace and Security Kenya (PSK), are in the process of developing a Murang’a County Action Plan on Women’s Peace and Security (WPS).

The action plan cascading from the Kenya National Action Plan (KNAP I) is meant to support transcending foundations of peace and security for inclusive and sustainable development in Kenya for a secure, peaceful, inclusive, and cohesive society.

Addressing a stakeholder’s forum in a Murang’a hotel over the weekend, the Chief Executive Officer of Partnership for Peace and Security, Tony Ng’ang’a, noted that the localization of the action plan that was implemented around UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women’s peace and security will address and respond to the rising needs of women in peace and security in the county.

‘The women’s peace and security agenda is a critical agenda the world over, and that is why the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 that recognizes that armed conflict impacts women differently from men was unanimously adopted by the Security Council in 2000,’ he said.

‘Therefore, he added, the localization of this action plan seeks to achieve and address women’s inclusion in matters of empowerment, increased participation in decision-making, and peace processes in Murang’a County.’

The action plan will provide a framework to amplify the voices of women at the grassroots, country, and national levels and align with the Leave no one behind principle by reaching the furthest first.

‘Once the action plan is developed and endorsed at the county level, it will also seek to strengthen women-led organizations and the existing peace committee structures that will play a huge role in supporting the women’s peace and security processes within the county, ‘he noted.

Ng’ang’a observed that peace is paramount for any well-functioning society and starts with self, goes down to good relations with neighbors, and translates into a well-functioning government, equitable distribution of resources, free flow of information, high levels of human capital, acceptance of others’ rights, a sound business environment, and low levels of corruption.

‘Women’s peace and security agenda is an important conversation as it will help achieve the 2030 agenda for sustainable development goals (SDG) adopted by world leaders in 2015 so as to achieve SDGs 5, 16, and 17 designed to end poverty, hunger, aids, discrimination against women and girls, and prioritize the progress of those who are furthest behind.’

Localization of the action plan on women’s peace and security will also enhance policies that will ensure improved prevention of and response to sexual and gender-based violence in the county that is currently struggling with teen pregnancies, abuse of life through drugs, and violence, amongst others.

Additionally, the action plan revolves around the four pillars of participation and promotion of women at all decision-making levels and institutions, prevention of conflict and all forms of violence, and more so sexual and gender-based violence against girls, women, and vulnerable groups.

Moreover, the protection of women and girls in situations of conflict, relief, and recovery by ensuring the inclusion and participation of women in humanitarian settings through a gender-responsive approach has been highlighted as the fourth pillar of the action plan.

The three-day forum had representation drawn from the national and county governments, the office of the county commissioner, the county assembly, civil society groups, faith-based organizations, women’s groups, and other state and non-state agencies.

Source: Kenya News Agency