Health Minister Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim on Wednesday said the Government accords high priority to controlling the prevalence of non-communicable diseases.
He was speaking to the media, following the inauguration of a workshop on tobacco control.
The “Joint Regional Workshop for the 7th Session of the Conference of the Parties” is held from September 21 to 22 in Paradise Island Resort. It is jointly organised by the World Health Organisation, Maldives Health Protection Agency and the Secretariat of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (IFCTC). It is attended by 60 health sector officials from 11 regional countries.
Health Minister Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim said that the workshop is held in preparation for the 7th Session of the Conference of the Parties scheduled to be held in India, from November 7 to 12. He said a number of technical and policy papers will be submitted and discussed at the workshop, and they include papers on tobacco control and a wide ranging issues; sustainability of tobacco control efforts, influence of producers and suppliers, business and investment, IFCTC related issues in the Sustainable Development Fund, in addition to new tobacco products including shisha and e-cigarettes.
Speaking about the workshop, WHO representative in the Maldives Dr. Arvind Mathur said the decision by Maldives to host the workshop shows its commitment to work with the international community in dealing with issues of international concern.
The workshop is attended by officials from the Economic Development Ministry, Health Protection Agency, Cancer Society of Maldives and Tobacco Control Board of Maldives.