Kathmandu, June 8 :

Speaker Subash Nemwang today said the government would support the campaign against tobacco by endorsing the Frame Work Convention of Tobacco Control (FCTC).

Since the government was established at the strength of the people’s movement, any decisons by it would not be against the people, he said.

“The government will not go against the people and will get the FCTC ratified by the Members of Parliament,” the Speaker said while addressing a seminar on FCTC and its ratification organised by the Nepal Cancer Relief Society.

He assured that the campaigners would not have to go to the extreme of filing writ petitions against the government seeking ratification of the FCTC.

Dr Margarita Rondeors, residential representative of the World Health Organisation, said WHO supports countries in saving lives.

Tobacco Control Act, after the endorsement by the parliament, would enable the implementation of the FCTC that would help make a ban on advertising tobacco complete along with finding measures that would help save the lives of many.

Dr Rajendra Baral, medical director at Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital said there are 40 factories that manufacture cigarettes and tobacco and four per cent of the total income of an individual is spent in tobacco consumption.

Dr Nirakar Man Shrestha, chief specialist at Ministry of Health and Population said if the FCTC is not ratified at the earliest then Nepal would not be eligible to participate in the forthcoming Conference of Parties to be held in Dhaka.

“The Health ministry will submit a proposal for a cabinet decision soon. The ministry is also working on the amendment of the proposed anti-tobacco legislation to incorporate all provisions of the FCTC,” said Dr Shrestha.

According to WHO, 85 per cent of liver cancer is caused due to smoking. Globally, an estimated five million people die due to tobacco related ailments each year and in Nepal some 15,000 people die due to smoking.