Introduction
Kuwait’s Ministry of Health ramped up health awareness activities including tobacco control, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Ministry launched, on 31 March 2020, a national campaign to raise awareness of COVID-19 risks and protection measures. Kuwait’s Ministry of Health is focusing on two main areas in tobacco control: enforcing a ban on waterpipe use in public places and a national awareness campaign. The Ministry is collaborating closely with several ministries and sectors to facilitate these efforts, whilst considering the challenges posed by most staff working remotely which prolongs the time for interaction and activities.
Ban on waterpipes in public places
The Kuwait National Assembly held an exceptional session and amended Article (17) of Law 8/1969 on health precautions to prevent communicable diseases. The modifications included closing all places and shops that could be a potential source of infection and increasing the severity of penalties in cases of violations. The Department of Legal Affairs in the Ministry of Health is working closely with the Ministry of Interior to implement these amendments. Kuwait’s Ministry of Health recommended the closure of all places selling or using waterpipes. The Municipality of Kuwait fully enforced this recommendation by closely communicating with Municipality Managers and conducting regular inspections. Violations were met with a few penalties depending on the extent of the violation. Penalties ranged from fines (5000 up to 30 000 Kuwaiti Dinars), confiscation of waterpipes to imprisonment (3 months up to 10 years). However, using waterpipes in the privacy of homes and especially by youth still poses a challenge.
The existing ban during COVID-19 has demonstrated its feasibility given the close collaboration of the different ministries and government bodies. Dr Amaal Al-Yehia, Rapporteur of the Ministry of Health National Anti-smoking Programme, stated: “We successfully implemented the ban so would like to use this in future as evidence of what can be achieved”.
Recognition of World No Tobacco Day and linking its activities to COVID-19
The National Anti-smoking Programme launched a national awareness campaign to coincide with World No Tobacco Day 2020. The campaign focused on showing the link between tobacco use and the transmission of the virus and the severity of the disease that causes COVID-19. The campaign stressed on the importance of controlling tobacco use and banning the use of waterpipes at this critical time.
The campaign consisted of videos, a speech and press engagement. Two videos were disseminated through mass media and various social media platforms (Twitter, Instagram and YouTube). The speech by the Head of the National Anti-smoking Programme was broadcast on national television and its official channels. Key television programmes hosted National Anti-smoking Programme officials through interviews to advocate tobacco cessation and the ban on the use of waterpipes. Kuwait’s Ministry of Health holds a daily press conference to update the public on developments of the pandemic. His Excellency the Minister of Health and official spokespeople use the press conference as a platform to disseminate key messages, including the accumulating evidence which links smoking and increasing severity of COVID-19.
Way forward
The Government of Kuwait has developed a country-wide transition plan outlining the eventual return to normal activities, subject to the COVID-19 situation across the country. The plan consists of five phases, each lasting three weeks. The first phase started on 31 May 2020. At the end of each phase, the COVID-19 situation will be reviewed and assessed. Transition to the next phase will depend on the recommendation of the Ministry of Health based on rates of virus control.
Future plans are in place to continue the ban on tobacco use in public places especially waterpipes after the transitional phases. Kuwait’s Ministry of Health plans to run ongoing awareness campaigns throughout the year and beyond the transitional phases.
To feed into future studies showing the link between smoking and COVID-19, Kuwait’s Ministry of Health recommended that for all diagnosed or suspected COVID-19 patients, smoking history should be always completed as part of taking their medical history.
The National Anti-smoking Programme will continue to collaborate closely with the World Health Organization and plan a joint event in the near future. The Programme has started to work with the Ministry of Industry to regulate the Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems by developing a legislation for a Kuwaiti Standard Specification.
Related links
The implementation stage of the amendments to the health law starts (Aljarida)