20 Years of WHO FCTC: VAST Ghana urges Government to Increase Investment to Accelerate Action on Tobacco Control

The Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development Ghana (VAST-Ghana) proudly joins the global community in celebrating two decades of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). Despite persistent challenges, including industry interference, we commend WHO’s unwavering commitment to public health. This milestone underscores the significant role of partnerships—especially with member states and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)—in achieving major health advancements.

Adopted in 2003, the WHO FCTC entered into force on 27^th February 2005, after ratification by 40 countries. It now has 183 Parties, driving significant progress in global tobacco control.

Ghana signed the FCTC in 2003 and was the first country in sub–Saharan Africa to ratify the WHO FCTC in 2004, marking the nation’s commitment to global tobacco control standards.

It is worthy to note that the Ministry of Health, through Food and Drugs Authority has contributed to combating the tobacco epidemic through the development and implementation of policies and guidelines, including the Five-year National Tobacco Control Strategy, Investment Case for Tobacco Control in Ghana, Guidelines for the Registration of Tobacco Products and the revamping of the Tobacco Interagency Coordinating Committee among others.

In 2012, Ghana domesticated the WHO FCTC, which led to the passage of the Public Health Act (Act 851). This legislative milestone aligns with WHO FCTC Article 5 by ensuring that Ghana establishes legal measures to protect public health from the consequences of tobacco use.

Following the enactment of the Public Health Act, Ghana adopted the Tobacco Control Regulations 2016 (L.I. 2247), ensuring stronger enforcement of tobacco control policies in Ghana. In 2017, the Ministry of Health developed the Smoking Cessation Clinical Guidelines to assist health professionals in providing cessation services. However, due to the limited availability of cessation programs, implementation of these guidelines remains insufficient. Ghana also ratified the FCTC Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products, which has been a crucial step in combating smuggled and unregulated tobacco products.

Despite the early ratification of the WHO FCTC in 2004, Ghana is yet to fully fulfil its obligations, as progress in implementing tobacco control measures has been slow. Meanwhile, the number of smokers in Ghana is expected to reach 1.7 million by 2025.

It is crucial to acknowledge and commend the significant contributions of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), led by the distinguished advocate Labram Musah, in achieving the aforementioned outcomes. His relentless efforts in advocacy, strategic stakeholder engagement, media capacity-building, and policymaker sensitization have played a transformative role in advancing Ghana’s tobacco control agenda.

One of the foremost challenges is resource constraints, particularly in funding enforcement mechanisms and public education campaigns. Tobacco control efforts require sustained financial investment for monitoring compliance, conducting awareness programs, and supporting cessation services. However, limited budgetary allocations have hindered the effective enforcement of existing regulations, leaving gaps that the tobacco industry continues to exploit.

Public education campaigns are often underfunded, reducing the reach and impact of messaging on the dangers of tobacco use. Without consistent awareness initiatives, misinformation about tobacco products continues to spread, weakening public support for stricter regulations.

From 1999, British American Tobacco Ghana operated as the sole cigarette manufacturer in the country. However, in 2006, the company ceased its manufacturing operations, delisted from the Ghana Stock Exchange, and relocated its production base to Nigeria. Since then, Ghana has relied on Nigeria for the importation of tobacco products.

Despite these developments, industry interference continues to be a significant challenge in Ghana, with the tobacco industry persistently employing strategies to undermine regulatory frameworks and weaken public health policies.

A particularly worrying trend is the rise in smoking among young people , exacerbated by the growing availability and appeal of shisha, vapes, and other smokeless tobacco products. The misconception that these products are less harmful than traditional cigarettes has led to increased use among young people.

Although Ghana has enacted a near-total ban on tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship, point-of-sale displays and product placements in television and films remain legal, limiting the effectiveness of the ban.

In 2023, Ghana reformed its excise tax structure through the passage of the Excise Duty Amendment Act 2023 (Act 1108) aligning with the WHO’s recommendations and ECOWAS protocol to reduce the accessibility and affordability of tobacco products, especially to children and young people, and ultimately reduce their associated health risks.

As we mark this 20-year milestone, we urge the government to:

• Invest in continuous training and development programs to ensure policy makers and enforcement officers are equipped with the latest knowledge and skills in tobacco control.
• Strengthen initiatives that involve community members in decision-making processes, ensuring that tobacco control programs are tailored to the unique needs of local populations.
• Adopt digital tools and innovative solutions to improve health service delivery, data collection, and monitoring.
• Develop strategies for sustainable funding sources for tobacco control programs.
• Deepen multi-sectoral collaboration for effective tobacco control.
• Develop a code of conduct for public officers involved in setting and implementing public health policies for tobacco control.

Ghana’s smoking prevalence rate of less than 5% demonstrates the effectiveness of the FCTC. This achievement directly results from Ghana’s implementation of the WHO FCTC and its guidelines and measures, providing compelling evidence that the WHO FCTC framework delivers on its primary objective of reducing tobacco consumption and its associated mortality. Ghana’s success story and that of many other countries serve as a testament to how FCTC and international public health framework, when properly implemented, can significantly impact national health outcomes.

The WHO FCTC’s 20-year journey highlights the power of collaboration in advancing public health. Strong partnerships with CSOs, government bodies, and communities have been central to these achievements. Moving forward, continued unity and commitment will be crucial in tackling emerging tobacco control challenges and safeguarding public health.

Labram Musah

Executive Director: Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development, Ghana

Contact: 0243211854

Email: labrammusah@gmail.com