The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) first clinical treatment guideline for quitting tobacco has been released. This guide is aimed at helping over 750 million smokers worldwide and 4.7 million Nigerians to give up smoking.
This guideline recommends a variety of approaches, including behavioural assistance from healthcare providers, digital quitting tools, and pharmaceutical treatments.
The WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, emphasised the significance of this milestone, stating, “This guideline marks a crucial milestone in our global battle against these dangerous products. It empowers countries with the essential tools to effectively support individuals in quitting tobacco and alleviate the global burden of tobacco-related diseases.”
With more than 60% of the world’s 1.25 billion tobacco users expressing a wish to quit, a major gap exists, with over 70% lacking access to effective cessation programmes. This shortage is mostly owing to numerous healthcare system problems, particularly in resource-constrained areas.
Director of Health Promotion at WHO, Dr. Rüdiger Krech, highlighted the personal struggle of quitting tobacco, saying that the immense struggle that people face when trying to quit smoking cannot be overstated.
“We need to deeply appreciate the strength it takes and the suffering endured by individuals and their loved ones to overcome this addiction,” he said.
In Nigeria, over 4.7 million adults currently smoke tobacco, with a 4% prevalence rate among those aged 15 and up. Men smoke at a rate of 6.1%, while women smoke at only 0.5%. Furthermore, 2% of individuals consume smokeless tobacco. Tobacco use in Nigeria is a major public health concern, accounting for an estimated 26,851 fatalities each year.
The economic impact of smoking in Nigeria is also significant, costing around 187.8 billion naira per year in healthcare costs and lost productivity. Efforts to prevent tobacco usage are critical, especially given the tobacco industry’s strong marketing methods aimed at low-income and young people.
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