Advancement of Tobacco Control in Ghana: Barriers & Opportunities – A Brief Situation Report

Abstract

Adequate tobacco control in the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic cannot be overemphasized. As a Lower Middle-Income Country (LMIC) with peculiar needs, Ghana can strengthen her tobacco control regime by advancing country-specific and resilient programmes. The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) in partnership with WHO embarked on a national project to sensitize law enforcement officers on the existing tobacco control provisions whilst identifying control barriers peculiar to the various regional groupings. The main outcome of this meeting was the development of a tobacco control enforcement plan which defined the framework for regional participation in tobacco control. The next phase of this project is the sustainability of the regional tobacco control units and the exploration of the inclusion of traditional leadership in tobacco control policy implementation. FDA recognizes that there is an important role of Traditional Authorities, Law enforcement agencies and other state agencies as tobacco control advocates. Keywords: Ghana, Tobacco, enforcement, control