Health ministry launches anti-tobacco campaign

The health ministry today launched a national mass media campaign to create awareness among people about the deadly harm of tobacco that leads to deaths of nearly one lakh Bangladeshis every year.

The campaign titled "Smoking causes lung cancer. See it… Believe it…" was launched by State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Zahid Malik, according to a joint statement issued by the health ministry and Vital Strategies, and international NGO which provided technical support to the campaign.

The campaign, which will be aired on all major national TV channels in the country for five weeks from November 9, aims to encourage smokers to quit and discourage youth from starting to use tobacco by showing the real health hazards of tobacco use.

The 30-second public service announcement features Hafizul Mina, a tobacco user for 35 years, who developed life-changing, tobacco-related lung cancer, says the joint statement.  

Billboards featuring Mina-- including graphic scenes of his operation and cancerous tumour-- will also be displayed in community settings around the country.

"Tobacco-related disease doesn't just harm the tobacco user; it can deprive families of their breadwinners, leaving them destitute with children not able to complete their education, and causing immense suffering."

"That's why we need as many Bangladeshis as possible to see the harsh reality of what happens when you consume tobacco…we urge people to heed this powerful campaign and stop smoking," said Zahid Malik at a press briefing at the health ministry.

Professor Sohel Reza Choudhury of National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute said the matter of most concern is that more than 41.3 million Bangladeshis use smoked and smokeless forms of tobacco, with the number of tobacco users growing.

Alarmingly, a significant number of Bangladeshi youth are taking up tobacco use, with over 9 percent of boys and 2.8 percent of girls aged between 13 and 15 consuming some tobacco product, he said.

Some 3,82,000 people suffer from chronic illnesses caused by tobacco use, according to The Tobacco Atlas.

"The volume of tobacco-related disease already is a significant burden on our health system; urgent action is needed to prevent this from escalating further," Professor Sohel added.