A man smoke puffs at a cigarette. [Photo/sde.co.ke]
World Health Organization boss Dr Tedros Adhanon has lauded Kenya's efforts to control tobacco use saying that the government must use the strongest measures possible to protect citizens from tobacco use.“Governments face a moral and legal imperative to use the strongest possible measures to protect their citizens from tobacco,” Tedros said in a statement. He accused tobacco firms of consistently lying about how much damage their products cause.The WHO boss added that countries will this year demonstrate what they are doing to stop noncommunicable diseases triggered by tobacco use.“Looking ahead to the UN’s High-level Meeting on Non-communicable Diseases in 2018, government leaders must be prepared to demonstrate their commitment to protecting people from heart and lung disease, cancer, and diabetes, by supporting stronger tobacco controls,” he said.Kenya banned shisha last week in its efforts to stop health problems caused by tobacco smoke. The law also bans cigarette firms in Kenya from advertising their products or using misleading words like 'menthol', and 'light', the Strar says.Health CS Cleopa Mailu said this was one of the measures to help the country achieve universal health coverage by 2021.“We need a lot of support to succeed in protecting the population. Health promotion remains a key thrust of the ministry,” he said.