World No Tobacco Day 2011 in Kenya
On 31st May 2011, Kenya joined the rest of the world to mark World No-tobacco Day. The national event was held in Nairobi at the Hilton Hotel, presided over by the Director for Public Health and Sanitation, Dr. Shanaz Shariff, representing the Minister for Public health and Sanitation. In her speech to the nation, the minister for Public Health and Sanitation said that WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control was a global treaty that addresses ever increasing epidemic of tobacco use and reaffirms the right of all people to the highest standard of health including right to clean air. Tobacco remains the leading cause of preventable death and a risk factor for various non-communicable diseases, she said.
In Kenya for instance, Non-Communicable Diseases contribute to over 55% of total mortality in the country and to over 50% of all hospital admissions in the public hospitals countrywide