Tobacco use has declined marginally from nine per cent in 2012 to eight per cent in 2019, data from the ministry of health shows.
This means about 2.2 million Kenyans use tobacco products. Of this number two-thirds smoke cigarettes.
Health CS Sicily Kariuki made the revelation on Thursday during the inauguration of the Tobacco Control Board and the Clinical Council Board at Afya House.
According to the data, there was a marginal decline in the use of manufactured cigarettes and cigars, hand-rolled cigarettes, pipes, shisha, snuff, chewed tobacco and kuber during that period.
The economic cost of smoking in Kenya amounts to Sh2.9 billion every year, while more than 8,100 people die of tobacco-related diseases, she said.
“Cancer is one of the major non-communicable diseases combined with cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases. They cause over 30 per cent of all deaths and about account for 50 per cent bed occupancy in all hospitals in the country,” the CS said.
It is estimated that every year, Kenya has 40,000 new cancer cases and more than 27,000 deaths.
The Tobacco Control Board has been tasked with coming up with timely policies on the production, manufacture, sale, advertising, promotion, sponsorship and use of tobacco and tobacco products.
It will be chaired by Wilfred Lesan. Others named on the board are Somba Kivingu, John Musau, Nancy Gachoka, Lilian Mbevi, Rogers Mulemi and Caroline Wanjiku as members.
The board will be responsible for regulating permissible levels of the constituents of tobacco products or their emissions; standardisation of ingredients of tobacco products required to be prohibited and regular testing for conformity with the requirements
It will also be in charge of standards in labelling, packaging, sale, distribution of tobacco products.
The clinical council board will be expected to play the role of regulating training, registration and licensing of clinical officers.
On Monday, Kariuki appointed Felix Mutua, Janet Nandwa, Joseph Choge, Rosalind Wairagu as members of the Clinical Council Board.
The council will also be required to conduct a fresh joint inspection and licensing of health facilities in the country together with other regulatory bodies under the Ministry of Health.
The board will serve for three years. The appointments took effect immediately.
(Edited by Otieno Owino)
