Media and NGO Workshop, Maun Lodge - 16-17th May, 2013

Comments, Discussions and Recommendations
 

-->

Media and NGO Workshop Maun

Maun Lodge

16-17th May 2013

Discussions and Comments

1. Thato Molosi – Poetavango: The importance of new education techniques to educate the public since it seems like the existing methods are not as effective as we would like them to be.

RESPONSE: The approach is dependent on the person you are directing the message to. If you are advising a smoker you have to assess their situation considering many factors like; their education level, their level of addiction, and gender. If you are talking to men about tobacco use you have to use different strategies like the fact that smoking has a major impact on impotence and men's reproductive health, however when the message was directed to women the might be crafted in such a way that it will make emphasis on the fact that smoking elevates aging. “Issues should not be forced into people but people should be allowed to introspect for themselves and think about issues then make an informed decision”

2. The relation between tobacco and other drugs such as marijuana and alcohol – some people use Marijuana to mask the smell of tobacco or vise vesa. Cigarettes may also act as a gateway drug for smokeless tobacco which has as devastating effects as cigarettes
   RESPONSE: Tobacco is a gateway drug for many other drugs like Marijuana, cocaine, sextacy, ecstacy and heroine. Major tertiary institutions and secondary schools are facing this huge predicament
    
3. The decentralization of the Anti Tobacco Network to other localities – Are these three workshops adequate and do they reach the different people across Botswana?
   RESPONSE: ATN believes in empowering local communities and training specialists instead of creating offices across the country. These networks of stakeholders, NGOs and health professionals that ATN is building should be equiped by the end of these training exercises, to effectively pass the messages on to their different communities.

Read More

Health Professionals Workshop Maun, Maun Lodge

-->

14-15th May 2013

Discussions and Comments

1. The need to explain what tobacco is when we make presentations and to relate tobacco related issues to alcohol use since the two go hand-in hand
   1. Tobacco plant is not the same as a cigarette – because a cigarette contains more substances (7000>)
   2. Pesticides used in growing tobacco – lead, sulphur
2. The need for research on tobacco affiliated issues – It does not need to be done by university scholars, it can be done in villages and municipalities, and this workshop can be used as a baseline or reflection point in carrying out the research in clinics.
3. Why dont we ban tobacco use totally in Botswana?
4. The benefits of tobacco use -
   1. Employment - Is it a benefit?
      1. Tobacco has no benefits! - The scale between public health and trade. The bigger impact that tobacco use has in economies cannot be overlooked. A clear example is Malawi, a big tobacco producer but remains one of the poorest countries in the world. Money is channeled into health facilities to provide healthcare to or for people affected by cancers, and other non-communicable diseases caused by tobacco use.
   2. Are there any benefits of tobacco use to the smoker? - NO!!
5. What the Health professionals are doing in their respective workplaces to address the CSA
   1. More emphasis is put on alcohol than tobacco in clinics unless a patient has TB or a cough
6. The need for a Setswana version of the Control of Smoking Act (CSA)– because most people in underdeveloped rural settlements do not have a grasp on the english language
7. Smoking in public places and at the workplace sections of the CSA need to be emphasized and implemented
8. Prices of alcohol have been increased and alcohol consumption has not reduced – how will increasing taxes
   1. Tobacco is not manufactured in Botswana like alcohol therefore increases in taxes will reduce importation of tobacco into the country hence lessening consumption of tobacco in the country.
9. The need to make the CSA more accessible or make it cheap (FREE) – Extract the CSA's forestanding content and distribute IEC's for free
10. Collaborations with workplace Health and wellness committees
11. Duty of persons to protect others from smoke
    
    

    

    Mr. Thuso - Officially opening the workshop for Health Professionals

    
    

    

    Day 1 & 2 Particiants - Health Professionals in the Ngami area who attended the workshop

    1. 1. 

          Group Presentations - Staff member of Letsholathebe Memorial Hospital presenting his group's observations and understanding of the tobacco use situation in the North West district of Botswana.

          

          Maun Tribal staff member - Group Discussions concerning the Control of Smoking Act and observations of violations in the North West District

          

          Staff member of Letsholathebe Memorial Hospital, Ethel presenting her group's discussion and comments on the Control of Smoking Act.

          

          Letsholathebe Memorial Hospital's Matshediso France deliberating her group discussions on the Control of Smoking Act

          

          Participants at the Health Professionals workshop, Maun Lodge, Maun - 14-15th May 2013

          

          Participants listening attentively to the deliberations (group presentations) at the Health professionals workshop - Maun

          
          

          

          From Left to Right: Staff member of MVA Maun and an employee at the North West District Council Environmental Health office during the group discussions.

          

          Group Discussions

          
          

          

          A participant at the Health Professionals workshop, Maun Lodge, Maun - 14-15th May 2013

          
          

          

          Participants from clinic in the North West District

          
          

          

          Ethel from Letsholathebe Hospital in Maun, contributing during discussions

Read More

Media and NGO Workshop, Maharaja Restaurant and Conference Centre, 19-20 March 2013

Courtesy of Press 24 TV http://www.press24.tv/?s=0887f467b2c16c4ad48796eece9dd716


Dr. Bontle Mbongwe presenting on the Health Effects of Tobacco Use. She said the purpose of the presentation was to:

}Introduce tobacco as a health threat

}Discuss the impact of tobacco consumption on the Millennium Development Goals

}Generate discussions toward tobacco control challenges in Botswana and come up with solutions to the Challenges

Focusing on Tobacco & Poverty Dr. Mbongwe said -

}Tobacco use is unequivocally linked with underdevelopment and poverty.

}Two-thirds of the poor nations for which data were available had male smoking rates above the average 35% prevalence rate for the developed world. (WHO2004 estimates)

}The poor are most likely to smoke.

}Tobacco use negatively affects important development objectives such as health, nutrition, employment and gender equality.

}Money spent on tobacco consumption reduces the amount of money available to spend on food, healthcare, shelter and education. 

Read More

Media, NGO Workshop Held in Gaborone - 19-20 March 2013 at Maharaja Restaurant and Conference Centre

The Anti Tobacco Network in collaboratioon with the Ministry of Health recently held back-to-back: One for the media and NGOs and the other for Health Professionals. Target group for the first workshop was the media (15) (both public and private) and non-governmental (10) organizations who have similar interests as ATN. The second workshop targeted 30 health professionals from private and government hospitals. 

The media, NGO and health professionals’ workshops were planned to engage and bring on board the media, NGOs and health professionals as partners of ATN, MOH and WHO country office in sensitizing Batswana on the harms of tobacco and helping the government to implement the WHO Framework Convention of Tobacco Control (FCTC).

Objectives

The workshops are in line with a series of other activities funded by the ACS and aim to achieve the following objectives:

1        To familiarize the media, health professionals and NGOs on the provisions of the FCTC, the Control of Smoking Act (CSA) and the tactics used by the tobacco industry to interfere with Government’s efforts to control tobacco (Article 5.3).

2       To increase the level of awareness on tobacco control and its impact on    health, the economy and the environment.

3        To prepare for the upcoming I Don’t Want To Be a Walking Billboard (A campaign countering advertising in indirect ways by the tobacco industry.) 

WHO Country Office - Mr Moagi Gaborone opening the workshop

Dr. Bontle Mbongwe presenting on the Health Effects of Tobacco use. Dr. Mbongwe stressed out the fact that tobacco use is unequivocally linked with underdevelopment and poverty.  Two-thirds of the poor nations for which data were available had male smoking rates above the average 35% prevalence rate for the developed world. (WHO2004 estimates). The poor are most likely to smoke. Tobacco use negatively affects important development objectives such as health, nutrition, employment and gender equality. Money spent on tobacco consumption reduces the amount of money available to spend on food, healthcare, shelter and education.

FCTC Presentation made by Mr. Moagi Gaborone - WHO Botswana

Botswana Substance Abuse (BOSASNet) representative making a comment

Mr Ephraim Rapalai of the Ministry of Health Tobacco control unit making a presentation of the tobacco legislation in Botswana

Botswana Press Agency (BOPA) represenatives and Press 24 Tv representative (Holding Camera)

Read More

ATN briefs Ministry of Health and WHO on activities ahead of 2013

ATN shares its plan to support the Ministry of Health to fast-track the development of a comprehensive tobacco legislation, to stop Tobacco Industry interference on tobacco control and to raise the level of awareness on the FCTC

From Left to right: Professor Phaladze (ATN Chair), Thabo Katlholo (ATN Admin. Asssistant),  Mr Mokgweetsinyana (Chief Health Officer-MOH), Ms. Shenaaz El-Halabi (Deputy Permanent Secretary - MOH), Mr. Rapalai (Tobacco Control - MOH)and Ms. Tabby Ramaphangela (Tobacco Control - MOH)

ATN Chair Professor Phaladze gave
an overview of the meeting.

Deputy Permanent Secretary Ms. El-Halabi
addressing the meeting

Mr Mokgweetsinyana addressing the
meeting

Mr. Thabo Katlholo
(ATN Admin assistant)

Left to Right: Mr Ephraim Rapalai (Tobacco control)
Ms Tabby Ramaphangela (Tobacco control), Mr Moahi Gaborone
(WHO country office)

 

Read More

Getting To Know ATN

*Vision
*Mission
*Our Priority Areas in the next five
*Benefits
*Where to get Application Forms
*Our Contact Details
*Our facebook link

*Out Twitter Link

Who Are We and What are Our Concerns

Anti-Tobacco Network (ATN) is a newly registered Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) under the laws of Botswana. ATN was officially launched by the its founding Patron Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Honorable Mokgweetsi Masisi on 30 May 2011. ATN recognizes the devastating impacts of tobacco on health, the environment and the economy.
Tobacco is unequivocally linked with poverty and underdevelopment.

It negatively affects important development objectives such as health, nutrition, employment and gender equality. ATN is concerned that money spent on tobacco consumption reduces the amount of money available to spend on food, health care, Shelter and education. ATN is convinced that if tobacco users can be assisted to quit and young people discouraged to take up smoking, the damage to health and the loss to basic income can both be substantially reduced and this can result in poverty alleviation and better economic development in Botswana. ATN aims at raising public awareness on health effects to tobacco use and consumption through seminars, workshops, advocacy, meetings and public debates.


Anti-Tobacco Network has placed itself in the frontline of fighting tobacco issues in Botswana. Being a part of civil society in Botswana, it aims to earn a solid reputation of Professionalism against big tobacco industry whose interest is to gain huge profits at the expense of human health.

Our Vision

A tobacco-free Botswana

Our Mission

To create an enabling environment, where stakeholders in various institutions can work together in a coordinated manner, to make a lasting impact in controlling and reducing tobacco use in Botswana.

Our Priority Areas

ATN hopes to achieve the following in the next five years in line with the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC):
1) Facilitate the adoption of comprehensive tobacco products legislation by the Government of Botswana. The legislation must among others address the following:

2) Prohibit deceptive labels on tobacco products such as light and mild

3) Include large pictorial warning labels on tobacco packages (80%)

4) Prohibit ingredients that may be used to increase palatability (attractiveness) such as sugars, and sweeteners, flavoring substances and spices and herbs, in cigarettes and cigarette-like tobacco products. Flavoring enhances attractiveness, encourages youth initiation, and discourages cessation.

5) Prohibit the sale of single cigarettes and small packets of tobacco products

6) Regulate the sale of tobacco products (Licensing)

7) Prohibit the sale of tobacco products through vending machines

8) Strengthen legislation against illicit trade (including in the counterfeit and contraband cigarettes), with appropriate penalties and remedies

9) Lobby government to raise tobacco tax and price to discourage use by children and poor people, and to encourage Government to use such revenues to implement interventions to assist tobacco users to quit and public awareness campaigns.

10) To work with the Government in developing measures to address illicit trade of tobacco products in Botswana

Who Can Join ATN

Anyone who is 18 years and above and established organizations may apply through submitting duly completed application forms. Each application must be endorsed by two sponsors who are themselves active members of the ATN. The following are member categories for ATN and appropriate fees. We make your applications known to our active members who may then endorse you. Membership is not open to anyone associated with the tobacco industry
(sponsorship, shareholding, etc)

What are the benefits of joining ATN

The Membership dues collected from you will be used to develop programs and activities such as public awareness campaigns, workshops, seminars and arranging counseling sessions for those addicted to tobacco. The following are some of the direct and indirect benefits:

*You will have access to training and information on tobacco control

*Your organization will have access to information on tobacco control

*You or Your Organization will be connected to international and national organizations with similar objectives and be able to share information

*You will be contributing to one of the pillars of vision 2016, being compassionate and contributing to an informed nation

Where can I get application forms?

Application forms are available at the University of Botswana, Faculty of Science Block 233 Office 121 or you may request them by email or postal address as follows:

The ATN Admin. Assistant
P.O Box 4688
+267 355 4504
Email: antitobacconetwork@gmail.com

We also encourage you to visit our facebook page and Twitter for updates 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/antitobacconetwork.botswana


Twitter: https://twitter.com/ATN_Botswana

Read More