New commitment by Government to anti-tobacco action

New commitment by Government to anti-tobacco action
New commitment by Government to anti-tobacco action

A new chapter in the country's approach to anti-tobacco legislation may be in the offing with the recent pronouncement by the recently appointed Minister of Health and Wellness Dr. Lemogang Kwape that the draft law would be headed for consideration by Parliament after completion of ongoing consultations with stakeholders.

This pronouncement, which was made by the Minister during an introductory visit by a team led by Professor Bontle Mbongwe from Botswana’s Anti Tobacco Network (ATN), has provoked optimism that Government would at long last break from what has always appeared to be the unholy influence of the notorious tobacco industry.

With preventable non-communicable chronic cardiovascular and respiratory diseases as well as mental disorders continuing to ravage the country, inflicting a heavy toll on people of all ages, causing untold misery by inflicting death, poor health, disability and poverty, the ATN welcomes the new determination of the Ministry of Health and Wellness. This would ensure that the new legislation was more aligned with domestic needs and reflecting global trends in viewing smoking as one of the greatest threats to improved livelihoods and wellbeing of all time.

Editor's Comment
Inspect the voters' roll!

The recent disclosure by the IEC that 2,513 registrations have been turned down due to various irregularities should prompt all Batswana to meticulously review the voters' rolls and address concerns about rejected registrations.The disparities flagged by the IEC are troubling and emphasise the significance of rigorous voter registration processes.Out of the rejected registrations, 29 individuals were disqualified due to non-existent Omang...

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