🇲🇺MauritiusEast Africa
Tobacco prevalence remains high in Mauritius at 18.1%, including among youth
via Le Mauricien4 min read
The University of Mauritius, in collaboration with the NGO VISA, hosted a meeting at the Gold Crest Hotel in Quatre-Bornes to discuss the findings of the 2025 Index on Tobacco Industry Interference. This gathering aimed to foster a coordinated response to protect public health policies in Mauritius. Key stakeholders, including Vinoda Vythelingum, World Health Organization representative, Yodhim Del Rosa, research coordinator for the Global Centre for Good Governance in Tobacco Control, Dr. Marie France Chan Sun, associate professor at the University of Mauritius, and Poubarlanaden Appavoo, president of NGO VISA, attended the event. Representatives from various ministries and partner organizations were also present. The report, conducted by the University of Mauritius and NGO VISA, is part of a global survey coordinated by the Global Centre for Good Governance in Tobacco Control, covering 100 countries, including 20 in Africa. It assesses how governments manage tobacco industry interference, in line with Article 5.3 of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. In Mauritius, Dr. M. F. Chan Sun leads the study. The 2025 Index places Mauritius 15th out of 100 countries with a score of 44, ranking it among the best performers in Africa. However, challenges persist due to the tobacco industry's influence in sectors like tourism and hospitality. Vinoda Vythelingum highlighted that tobacco use remains a leading cause of preventable deaths globally, with o
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Le Mauricien.
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