The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), in collaboration with the Vision for Alternative Development (VALD), is set to launch a comprehensive knowledge and data hub dedicated to issues of tobacco control in Ghana.
This initiative is part of a two-year project aimed at building capacity and strengthening institutions for effective tobacco control in the country.
In a webinar on Friday with stakeholders in the tobacco control sector, the Executive Director in charge of programs at VALD, Labram Masawudu Musah, described the web-based platform as an innovative resource.
“This platform will house all information on tobacco control in Ghana, and by extension, Africa and the global level,” he stated.
The platform will serve as a repository for research, references, and learning, and will also report violations of tobacco control policies in Ghana and Africa, with a focus on enhancing the effectiveness of child control measures.
Mr. Masawudu Musah emphasized that the platform will collect data from various sources, including the public, civil society, labor, private sector, and government institutions, to improve institutional capacity for tobacco control in Ghana.
“It is also expected to report tobacco control policy violations,” he added.
He indicated that, the platform aims to improve the effectiveness of public health policy implementations related to child control measures and strengthen human and institutional capacity to sustainably contribute to the tobacco control agenda in Ghana.
Mr. Musawudu Musah appealed to all stakeholders to contribute to the gathering and updating of information on the platform to enhance the fight against tobacco use in the country.
Head of Policy and Research at VALD, Godfred Tweneboa Kodua, also highlighted the lack of comprehensive data on tobacco control in Ghana, which has led to limited policy development and inefficient resource allocation.
He noted that the new platform, with its tailored resources for education and policy updates, will significantly improve the work of tobacco control advocates.
“The platform aims to bring together government, civil society, and other stakeholders to share knowledge and find solutions,” he said.
The initiative is expected to track tobacco industry compliance in Ghana through real-time data collection and analysis, fostering a collaborative approach to tobacco control.
Source: ghananewsonline.com.gh