Bangladesh needs stronger anti-tobacco law: Health Minister

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain on Monday said that anti-tobacco law needs to be strengthened to protect public health from the adverse impacts of tobacco.

He also said, “tobacco is a serious addiction, and it affects every part of the human body.

“Offenders are being spared due to loopholes in the existing laws,” he said, adding that the law needs to be strengthened to protect society from the clutches of tobacco.

Sakhawat made the remarks while addressing a discussion at the International Mother Language Institute here on the occasion of the World No Tobacco Day.

Speaking as the chief guest, he stated, “the youth are now moving from tobacco consumption to other serious addictions. Those who smoke can be the biggest witnesses of how bad it is.”

“Tobacco disrupts people’s sleep, reduces appetite and weight. Tobacco consumption causes cancer in cheeks and teeth,” the health minister observed.

He gave a stern warning against irregularities in the healthcare sector at the event, saying, “we want to ensure healthcare for the people. If anyone does anything bad or neglects healthcare, he/she will have to face the music.”

Referring to the action the government has taken against Ad-Din Medical College, Sakhawat Husain said: “We have taken the difficult decision to close the hospital due to inhumane service.

However, the medical college has not been closed. Students will be able to practise in other hospitals.”

Responding to a question about measles vaccination, he continued, the health department has been 100 per cent effective and successful in measles vaccination in the country.

“We have achieved more than our target in the entire country. Vaccinations have been given by calling and milking every day since before Eid. Our EPI programme is running regularly,” he added.

The ministmentioned that,, “in the past week, the number of confirmed measles deaths has been zero.

Noting that it takes a month to develop antibodies once a vaccine is given to any person, he said that if doctors and nurses had not provided services on time and equipment and vaccines had not been ensured, the situation could have been much worse.

Asked to know the progress of the government’s decision to ban e-cigarettes, he told reporters that talks continue on this issue; details will be revealed later.

Health Services Division Secretary Md Quamruzzaman Chowdhury and Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services Professor Dr Pravath Chandra Biswas was present at the meeting, among others.