Getting involved: Uganda cancer society´s efforts to build strategic partnerships for tobacco tax increments and strong tobacco industry monitoring

Abstract

Background and challenges to implementation: Uganda Cancer Society's (UCS) purpose is to coordinate civil society efforts for a systematic contribution towards effective cancer control in Uganda. UCS is moving towards fully integrating tobacco control in it activities. Globally tobacco is responsible for 20% of all cancer deaths. UCS recognizes that Uganda's Tobacco Control Act does not include tobacco taxation in its provisions yet high tobacco tax is proven as the most effective measure for demand reduction. UCS is aware that tobacco industry is heavily interfering with tobacco control in Uganda and has taken government to court challenging the Tobacco Control Act. Therefore, UCS is building strategic partnerships to foster local efforts in trying to push for higher tobacco taxes and stronger industry monitoring. UCS has joined the Prevent20 global coalition of cancer organisations (wecanprevent20.org) and built partnership with Africa Centre for Tobacco Industry Monitoring and Policy Research (ATIM - www.atim.co.za). Intervention or response: UCS approaches its advocacy through the Power Prism framework utilizing the six power tools. UCS media advocacy looks at engaging the public through opinion pieces published on local media and posted on social media platforms as a way to get government attention. UCS currently monitors industry interference through media surveillance geared towards understanding the nature and focus of tobacco related content. Results and lessons learnt: UCS recent opinion piece on New Vision - “Tobacco's cost to our country”, as of 21st July, 2017 reached 10,057 views, generating over 30 reactions including shares, and over 200 clicks. Preliminary assessment of media posts indicates that a majority of media content favors the tobacco industry and most of it is in line with legislative interference. Conclusions and key recommendations: UCS believes that its efforts will push government to adopt higher tobacco taxes and establish mechanisms such as a strict code of conduct to deter government officials from working with tobacco industry.