Adequate tobacco control in the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic cannot be overemphasized. As a Lower Middle-Income Country (LMIC) with peculiar needs, Ghana can strengthen her tobacco control regime by advancing country-specific and resilient programmes. The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) in partnership with WHO embarked on a national project to sensitize law enforcement officers on the existing tobacco control provisions whilst identifying control barriers peculiar to the various regional groupings. The main outcome of this meeting was the development of a tobacco control enforcement plan which defined the framework for regional participation in tobacco control. The next phase of this project is the sustainability of the regional tobacco control units and the exploration of the inclusion of traditional leadership in tobacco control policy implementation. FDA recognizes that there is an important role of Traditional Authorities, Law enforcement agencies and other state agencies as tobacco control advocates. Keywords: Ghana, Tobacco, enforcement, control

The emergence of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has demonstrated the challenge of a single infection to health systems across the globe. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 as a pandemic on 11th March 2020, pointing at the time to the over 118,000 cases of the coronavirus illness in over 110 countries around the world and the sustained risk of further global spread. Congruent to this declaration by the WHO, countries were expected to accelerate their individual efforts amidst striking the right balance between protecting health and preventing economic or social disruption. In response to the pandemic, regulatory authorities of food and drugs in various countries are also recognizing the new demands and obligations that the pandemic has brought and taking measures to meet them and provide the much-needed support.  The Ghana Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has taken various accelerated actions to meet the local demands in managing COVID-19. The regulatory interventions not only aim to facilitate the authorization of medicines and health technologies, sensitize the public on disease prevention and ensure the uninterrupted availability of medical and food supplies but also seek to inspire and boost local industrial potential. The Ghana FDA’s efforts are multifaceted and include propping the Drug Supply Chain, expeditious testing of essential COVID-19 medicines, facilitating efforts at COVID-19 test kit evaluation, active post market surveillance and public sensitization on preventive measures. The outcomes of the FDA response have informed ample opportunities that can be leveraged on now and beyond the pandemic and sensitized the Authority on the need to simulate possible emergencies and be better prepared in future happenings.

ObjectiveThis study aims to measure the extent of illicit cigarette consumption from single stick sales, to determine the nature and types of illicit cigarettes present in Ghana, and to identify the factors associated with illicit cigarette consumption in Ghana.DesignA cross-sectional study using empty cigarette packs generated by 1 day’s single stick cigarette sales collected from cigarette vendors.SettingFive large cities (Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, Tamale and Bolgatanga) and three border towns (Aflao, Paga/Hamele and Elubo) in the northern, middle and coastal belt of Ghana.Procedure and participantsTen areas were randomly selected in each city/town, and all shops selling cigarettes within 1 km of the central point were surveyed.Outcome measures(1) Estimates of the share of illicit cigarette packs in the total cigarette sales from vendors selling single stick cigarettes in Ghana; (2) nature and types of illicit cigarette packs; (3) factors associated with illicit cigarette sales in Ghana.ResultsOf a total of 4461 packs, about 20% (95% CI 18.3 to 20.7) were found to be illicit. Aflao (Ghana-Togo border) and Tamale (Ghana-Burkina Faso border) had the highest percentage of illicit cigarette sales at 99% and 46%, respectively (p<0.001). Over half of the illicit packs originated from Togo (51%), followed by Nigeria (15%) and then Cote d’Ivoire (10%). Adjusted and unadjusted logistic regression models indicated that convenience stores, border towns, pack price and the northern zone had higher odds of illicit cigarette sales.ConclusionTo effectively tackle illicit cigarettes, market surveillance and strengthening supply chain control are required, particularly at the border towns and the northern region of the country.