On May 28, 2017, the Ministry of Health organized several events to celebrate Vietnam’s Tobacco Control Week (25-31 May) & World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) at the Hanoi Opera House and the Hoan Kiem Lake area.

Assoc. Prof.Dr. Nguyen Thi Kim Tien, Minister of Health, Chairman of Vietnam Tobacco Control Fund chaired the meeting and urged everyone, especially young people not to smoke. Dr. Tien also asked for everyone’s help to strictly implement Vietnam’s Tobacco Control Law.

In Vietnam, there are more than 15 million smokers and more than 66,000 people die from tobacco-related diseases every year. Despite this, it is still very easy to buy cigarettes everywhere.

Assoc.Prof. Dr.Nguyen Thi Kim Tien, Minister of Health	Dr. Lokky Wai, WHO Representative in Vietnam
Assoc.Prof.Dr. Luong Ngoc Khue, Director of Vietnam Tobacco Control Fund launched the bicycle parade and walking around the Hoan Kiem Lake

Ms. Nguyen Thuy Anh, Chairperson, Committee on Social Affairs of the National Assembly; Mr. Ngo Van Quy, Vice Chairman of Hanoi People’s Committee; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Luong Ngoc Khue, Director of Vietnam Tobacco Control Fund – Ministry of Health; representatives from different ministries and different sectors such as healthcare and civil society organizations, non government organizations, the northern provinces, 2000 students and journalists were present during the celebrations.

Dr. Lokky Wai, WHO Representative of WHO – Viet Nam attended and delivered a speech on the theme of WNTD 2017 and recommended that Viet Nam should increase tobacco tax to increase revenues and decrease smoking prevalence.

Around 2000 students joined the bicycle parade on the streets and dance flashmob at the Hoan Kiem lake area to encourage everyone to develop a smoke-free life. Other famous celebrities in Vietnam such as MC Phan Anh, singer Noo Phuoc Thinh, actor Nha Phuong, actor Bao Thanh, actor Viet Anh also joined the festivities to show their support for tobacco control. Thanks to the celebrities, the events had a strong social media coverage.

Along with the main ceremony organized by the Vietnam Tobacco Control Fund, other ministries such as: Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of National Defense, Hochiminh Communist Youth, Health Union and provinces also organized meetings, performances to celebrate WNTD this year.

In addition, 63 provinces and cities have organized various activities to observe WNTD 2017, such as hanging slogans, organizing seminars, workshops, and several broadcasting sessions on Vietnam National Television (VTV), Radio Voice of Vietnam (VOV) about harms of cigarettes, electric cigarettes, pipe tobacco to health and benefits of smoking cessation.