Researchers in tobacco control have been advised to always add an economic angle to their findings so as to make the research outcomes more appealing to policy makers. This was one of the key observations during the annual dissemination workshop for research findings by the Second Cohort of tobacco control Grant beneficiaries from the CTCA-IDRC Masters Scholarship program. The Dissemination held at the Kabira Country Club Hotel in Kampala from July 12-13, is attended by both students of the 2nd and third cohort, mentors, coordinators and supervisors of the students.
Officiating at the opening of the workshop, the CTCA Director, also Dean of Makerere University School of Public Health ( MakSPH) , Prof. William Bazeyo noted that while the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control is the basis for intervention, the provision of local evidence is very critical in ensuring effective implementation. He hailed the partnership between CTCA and IDRC adding that it is a great initiative that needs to be heightened and more resources mobilized so as to develop a bigger community of tobacco control researchers in Africa.
Dr. Sheila Ndyanabangi, the Tobacco Control Focal Person at the Ministry of Health stressed the need for the research findings to inform policy particularly in the area of implementation on the existing legal and regulatory framework.
Mr. William Onzivu, from WHO Afro noted that WHO urges partners to utilize their various capacities to tackle the increasing tobacco epidemic in the region, adding that provision of local evidence through researches like these is one commendable approach. He revealed that the latest economic of tobacco reveal that the health related cost of a packet of a cigarette is 35$, a cost that is amazingly high.
The representative from IDRC, Dr. Samuel Oti explained that the rationale for funding the program was to explore a unique way of developing and enhancing tobacco research capacity among young individuals in Africa using MaKSPH’s regional networks.
The CTCA coordinator for project, Ms. Kellen Nyamurungi said the research projects are geared towards tobacco control policy change and program improvement premised on the WHO Framework Convention on tobacco control ( FCTC).
Findings from five researches by the 2nd cohort students were disseminated focusing on; ‘Prevalence and factors that influence smokeless tobacco use among adults in pastoralist communities of Borena Zone, Ethiopia; Examining tobacco retailers around primary and secondary schools and assessing the clientele with regard to sale to and by minors; the case of Nyarugenge district in Rwanda; Ethiopian Health care delivery system responsiveness to smoking cessation therapy;Exposure to second hand tobacco smoke and community knowledge on its harmful effects in Urban and rural settings Unguja island, Tanzania; and exposure to tobacco during pregnancy among mothers with low birth weight new born in Aura district, in Uganda.
Faki Haji Faki, the MPH student from Muhimbili University in Dar es Salaam who did research on exposure to second hand smoke received an award for his diligence and commitment during the study period.
The scholarship program is implemented through six schools of Public Health in the Health Alliance including Jimma University, Ethiopia, Moi and Nairobi University in Kenya, Muhimbili University in Tanzania and Makerere University in Uganda.