Building tobacco control skills to help combat noncommunicable diseases in Panama

16 DECEMBER 2016 - A conference convened in Panama aims to promote the prevention of tobacco use in the country and internationally. Delegates considered effective ways of developing education activities that help health professionals improve tobacco control measures. Speakers and delegates came from across Latin America, North America and beyond.

The 2nd World Tobacco and Noncommunicable Diseases Congress and the 3rd National Multidisciplinary Congress were combined in this one international event. It supported continuing education into diseases caused by tobacco, targeting physicians in general and primary care staff in particular. In focus was the preventive work that can be undertaken by health professionals in their existing roles.

The value of teachers in this process was also reviewed and during the Congress events were directed at supporting them develop greater involvement in health and noncommunicable disease education. Tobacco is one of the main contributing factors to the four main types of noncommunicable diseases, which are cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes.

The delegates at the Congress reviewed the best methodologies to employ when creating and managing national tobacco surveys. To promote innovative research the organisers held a competition to showcase proposed new campaigns that can reduce tobacco consumption.

Experts gathered, 14 – 16 December, with a representative from the Convention Secretariat to the WHO Framework Convention to Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) involved in panel discussions and presentations. Dr Maria Carmen Audera-Lopez, Programme Manager addressed gender-specific requirements in the implementation of the Convention and also the health implications of waterpipe use.

Dr Audera-Lopez contributed to a debate on sustainable development goals, its links to tobacco control and the challenges it poses worldwide.

The objective of the event was to support greater collaboration within the health service community and teaching profession so as to increase the effectiveness of ´quit smoking´ initiatives.