Ramadoss to inaugurate regional workshop on illicit trade in tobacco products today

New Delhi, Sept 16 (ANI): Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr Anbumani Ramadoss will inaugurate a two-day regional workshop on illicit trade in tobacco products here today.

The workshop is being jointly organised by the WHO-South East Asia Regional Office (SEARO) and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.The workshop will be attended by delegates from SEAR countries - Bangladesh, Burma, Bhutan, China, Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timur-leste.

The workshop is being organised with the financial support from the Framework Convention Alliance (FCA).

The specific objectives of the workshop are to review and assess countries' capacity to control illicit trade in tobacco products; to identify key actions in the Region to support countries in their efforts to develop and implement measures to control illicit trade in tobacco products, including the role of WHO and other international organizations in this area; and to review the text for the Draft Protocol to the Convention on Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products issued by the Chairman of INB.

The regional workshop aims to raise awareness regarding serious and adverse health consequences of illicit trade in tobacco products. (ANI)