16th WCTOH in Abu Dhabi

The 16th edition of the World Conference on Tobacco or Health (WCTOH) is to be held in Abu Dhabi.The capital city of UAE was chosen unanimously by the International Liaison Group on Tobacco or Health (ILGTH).

The WCTOH a triennial gathering of international advocacy, public policy and health research experts working together to achieve the goals of the world’s first public health treaty, the World Health Organisation’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC).

At the 15th edition of WCTOH held at Singapore from March 20 to 24, Michael R Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg group and current Mayor of New York city announced  that Bloomberg Philanthropies will commit an additional US$220 million to fight tobacco use around the world and stem this growing global public health crisis, bringing his total commitment to more than US$600 million.

“Tobacco kills every day, so we need to keep the fight moving forward and keep the momentum going,” said Bloomberg. “In low- and middle-income countries alone, an additional 1.2 billion people are now covered by at least one of six proven tobacco control policies – more than doubling the number of people protected in just five years. When these measures are implemented, the results are clear: fewer people use tobacco and they live longer, healthier lives.”

The Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use - world’s largest coordinated effort to reduce the harm caused by tobacco globally - in partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Initiative has committed US$720 million to global tobacco control since 2006.

The Bloomberg Initiative is focused on reducing the public health impact of tobacco use globally by implementing proven tobacco control policies in low and middle income countries where 80% of tobacco-related deaths occur.

In the upcoming four years of the Initiative, activities will continue to be led by five of the world’s leading tobacco control advocacy and public health organizations - the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC Foundation), the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the World Health Organization and the World Lung Foundation/International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease.

Image courtesy: 15th WCTOH