| Summary: | Background
The Nepal Tobacco (Control and Regulatory) Act of 2010
mandates government enforcement of at least 75% pictorial health warning (PHW)
on tobacco packaging with a provision of the yearly rotation of the pictures
and a required size. The enforcement and implementation of the 75% PHW was
established successfully in 2014, which prompted the Ministry of Health and
Population of Nepal to increase the size requirement to 90% in October 2014
with an enforcement date of 15 th May 2015. However, enforcement of
the 90% pictorial health warning still a challenge across the variety of
tobacco products.
Methods
To build policy pressure and awareness, we
applied various methods; i) One to one interview with senior policy makers; ii)
interaction programs with senior government officials; iii) market monitoring;
iv) disclosing tobacco industry interference.
Results
Implementation
of the 90% pictorial health has been improved. Commitments of Ministry of
Health and Ministry of Industry have been built. The Minister of Industry
directed the industry to comply the law and regulation of tobacco control.
Almost all media have been engaged in tobacco control with especial focus on
implementation of pictorial health warning. More than 50 news articles related
to pictorial health warning published in last six months with views of senior
government officials and related stakeholders. They included Minister of
Health, Minister of Industry, MPs, and senior officials and representatives
from civil society and professional organizations. Pro-tobacco news were
discouraged in most of the media. Industries meeting with health minister and
other senior officials were disclosed.
Conclusions
The media's
efforts significantly contributed in policy development and implementation of
tobacco control in Nepal. These efforts need to be sustained.
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