Bamenda 1, first smoke-free municipality in Cameroon on May 6, 2016, hosted events celebrating the 10th anniversary of Cameroon Coalition to Counter Tobacco (C3T). It was a rare moment to recognize and salute the one year ban on smoking in the municipality.

It was againts this background that the President of C3T, Dr Flore NDEMBIYEMBE hailed Bamenda 1 Council for the ban that protect the population from diseases, disability and deaths related to tobacco use and second-hand smoke exposure.

The Mayor of Bamenda 1, Caro Bi BONGWA, revealed that healthcare is a priority in the municipality and it was on the strength of the Divisional Officer’s decision of March 26, 2015, that smoking was banned in all public places in the council.

The Permanent Secretary in the North-West Governor’s office, Monono WOLUA, stated government’s commitment to protecting public against smoking because tobacco kills smokers and non-smokers alike. He praised measures by the Cameroon Coalition to Counter Tobacco (C3T) to ensure a smoke-free environment and healthy space.

The event featured testimonies by former smokers and presentation on non-communicable diseases by Dr Ndo AKONO.

Created in 2006 to counter tobacco-related diseases and death, C3T use the anniversary to stress the prevention of non-communicable diseases. “Smoke-free places, healthy lives” was the theme of celebrations of the Coalition’s 10 years of existence. The Bamenda event recommended protection from the dangers of tobacco, with Dr Flore NDEMBIYEMBE disclosing that tobacco use is the leading shared risk factor for the four main types of non-communicable diseases.