mrs vinoda pitchamootoo vythelingam focal point for tobacco control health information education and...
TRANSCRIPT
Mrs Vinoda Pitchamootoo VythelingamFocal Point for Tobacco Control
Health Information Education and Communication OfficerMinistry of Health and Quality of Life
Mauritius
Situation Analysis High prevalence of NCDs (diabetes,
hypertension and cardiovascular diseases50% death due to heart diseasesHigh prevalence of male adult smoking:
40% High prevalence of youth smoking (13-15
yrs) : 13.7% High exposure to tobacco smoke: 45.6%
Health warning on package of cigarette (PHA 1999)
One text-based message:
“GOVERNMENT WARNING: Smoking causes cancer, heart disease and bronchitis’
side of the pack No requirement regarding font, background,
colour , etc Warning : NOT NOTICEABLE (blending
background)
Topics retained
1. Addiction
2. Heart disease
3. Lung cancer
4. Mouth cancer
5. Stroke
6. Second hand smoke
7. Impotence
8. Death
Total area to be covered by phw Front display area : 60%
Back display area: 70%
2 side text messages
‘Le tabac tue’
‘Tobacco kills’
Total surface area: 65%Language: English & French
Steps in developing pictorial health warnings
Contracted specialised advertising agency
NOT AFFILIATION WITH THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY
Tasks: conception and design of health warningsTechnical input from Ministry of HealthArrange for taking of photographs (Health
system)Resizing of the health warnings (package)
Issues
Be culture sensitiveSecure written consent of people which
appeared in the PHWsIn case of children under the age of 18
yrs, consents of both parents are neededOwnership of the photographs Proper coordination between the Ministry
and the State Law Office
Pre-testing of health warnings
Pre-testing by the Ministry of Health (targeted audience, scientific approach) Bring necessary amendments to the
PHWs 2nd pre-testing exercise Finalise the health warnings Approval of Ministry of Health
Promulgation of the FCTC-compliant legislation
Prescribed the text messages Prescribed the pictorial health messages Surface to be occupied Evenly distributed in tobacco consignment
when imported* Template as approved by the Minister Date of enforcement Phase out period*
Evaluation of PHWsInternational Tobacco Control (ITC) Mauritius
National Reports
Pre-wave 1: (before implementation of phw) :
Text-only warning : limited effectiveness
Wave 2: Dramatic increases in smokers’ awareness of health warnings (10-11 mths post-implementation)
Wave 3: DECLINE IN EFFECTIVENESS (20-21 mths post–implementation)
NEED TO RENEW PHW (>24 mths)
Strength
Great political commitment and political will of the Government of Mauritius
Weakness
Lack of competency in interpreting legislative text (loopholes)
ChallengesTobacco industry interference
Delaying tactics of the TI
To illustrate/obtain photograph of specific disease like mouth cancer
To get testimonials from local people
In progress . . . .
Development of new set of pictorial health warnings
Considering to implement plain packaging
- Text messages finalised
- Procurement stage
- Implementation: May 2013
Thank you