Bogor, Indonesia : Mayors of various cities across South-East Asia have adopted a 12-point ‘Bogor declaration’ at the closing of the two-day long summit in Bogor, Indonesia’s green city.

Meantime, the summit has also decided to organize 5^th Summit of Asia Pacific Cities Alliance for Tobacco Control and NCDs Prevention (APCAT2020)in Bharatpur Metropolitan City of Nepal. The proposal to organize 5^th APCAT in Nepal was tabled by Renu Dahal, Mayor of the Bharatpur Metropolitan City which was unanimously approved by city mayors of all participating countries.

The summit acknowledged that the disastrous health, economic and social consequences of tobacco use and burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are obstructing in achieving UN sustainable development goals.

This year’s summit was organized jointly by APCAT, Indonesian Ministry of Health, Bogor City, The Union (International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease) and the Partnership for Healthy Cities. A total of 300 participants including lawmakers, city mayors, public health experts and journalists from 40 cities of 12 countries attended the summit.

A parliamentary alliance led by Khagraj Adhikai, former Health Minister of Nepal and a media alliance led by Shova Shukla, Senior Journalist from India were also formed during the summit.

 12-Point Declaration

1. Making effective implementation and enforcement of 100 percent smoke free policies in cities and districts ensuring more than 90 percent compliance in public and workplaces
2. Advocating to national governments and policy makers to raise taxes and prices on tobacco products, alcohol, sugary and sweetened and beverages
3. Enforcing ban on tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship, including ban on display of tobacco products at point-of-sale
4. Urging national government to ban electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products, shisha and other emerging tobacco products.
5. Committing to find local resources for monitoring and research of tobacco use and NCDs, and scientifically documenting evidence of cost savings, public health gains and other benefits of effective tobacco control and prevention of NCDs. The secretariat of APCAT will facilitate the cities by establishing a technical expert team.
6. Committing to ban sugary and sweetened beverages in at least all government offices, educational, health and childcare facilities other places wherever possible\
7. Establishing a provision of licensing for sale of tobacco products, alcohol, sugary and sweetened beverage to restrict access
8. Committing to ban tobacco industry’s interferences and lobbying
9. Committing to foster partnership with bilateral, multi-lateral organizations, professional organizations and media
10. Committing to contribute annual membership fees to the APCAT secretariat
11. Supporting members of the parliament and media to build regional alliances on tobacco control and preventing of NCDs
12. Committing to end tobacco, prevent the avoidable burden of NCDs and thereby avert untimely deaths.

Talking to Health TV Online Dr. Tara Singh Bam, Deputy Regional Director of The Union said, “The Union is helping connect parliamentarians, Mayors, other local leaders, public health experts, media and range of other partners to help accelerate progress on end tobacco and beat NCDs.”Consolidation, communication and coordination are other cogs of the wheel for Cities4Health and No tobacco, Bam added.

Nepal’s active anti-tobacco campaigners and representatives of different organizations including Khagraj Adhikari, former Health Minister of Nepal, Renu Dahal, Mayor of Bharatupur Metropolitan City, Niru Pal, Federal Lawmaker, Anand Bahadur Chand, Anti-tobacco campaigner, Kalpana Acharya, Chairperson of Health Journalists Forum, Nepal participated in the summit.

The APCAT, established in November 2016, is a network of mayors and sub-national leaders integrated by their shared vision to create tobacco-free societies.