“TOBACCO HARM REDUCTION IN AFGHANISTAN: EXPERIENCES, CHALLENGES, AND RECOMMENDATIONS”, new seminar at CoEHAR, University of Catania.
On Friday, 14th July 2023 at 12 am CEST, Room 6 in the Biological Tower, Dr. Attaullah Ahmadi, visiting researcher at the University of Catania from the French School of Public Health and Global Health Focus, will hold a seminar on the situation of tobacco harm reduction in Afghanistan.
The seminar will be introduced by prof. Alfredo Pulvirenti of the Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine of University of Catania.
Over three million people in Afghanistan smoke daily, making it a leading cause of preventable deaths in the country. In 2021, community-based initiatives in Kabul and Herat started advocating for THR as a novel, realistic, and practical approach proven to promote smoking abstinence and minimize tobacco harm. However, implementing THR strategies in Afghanistan faces numerous challenges including a lack of governmental support, funding issues, unfavorable market conditions, and misconceptions. To effectively promote THR in Afghanistan, it will be necessary to implement THR policies that support THR products for smokers, regulate the market for these products, produce them locally with healthcare professional oversight, conduct more engaging advocacy campaigns, and secure domestic sponsors.
Attaullah Ahmadi is a Medical Doctor from Afghanistan. He is currently pursuing a Master of Public Health (MPH) at EHESP, the French School of Public Health. Attaullah serves as the senior advisor to Global Health Focus (GHF) and a member at Youth Editorial Board of Public Health Challenges (Wiley). He is the founder and director of THR Afghanistan, an organization that seeks to decrease tobacco-induced morbidities and mortalities through introducing safer nicotine products. Attaullah Ahmadi seeks to address health inequities and advocates health for all, through conducting research and translating them into publications. He has published scientific papers on various health topics in developing countries including Afghanistan, analyzing their health systems and highlighting the challenges they confront.
