Vietnam Steering Committee on Smoking and Health (VINACOSH) was established under Decision No. 476/QD-TTg dated 14 July 2001 of the Prime Minister. Goal is to Reduce smoking prevalence in order to control and reduce the supply of tobacco products, to reduce tobacco related mortality and diseases. One of the important tasks of VINACOSH is to coordinate tobacco control activities including:
- Coordinate tobacco control activities among Vietnam TC organizations.
- Establish and coordinate tobacco control network at community and ministries level.
- Coordinate the implementation of communication programs, capacity building training, research and monitoring activities on tobacco control.
Function and task:
In order to perform the coordinating role, VINACOSH leaders send the letters to related TC agencies and organizations for their offcial focal points in tobacco control communication, research and capacity buiding groups.
Established in 2009, the Tobacco Control Working Group (TCWG) is a steering committee of key tobacco control organisations in Viet Nam, including nongovernmental partners, government, international organisations, donors, and members of the business community. Coordinated by VINACOSH, the TCWG meets on a monthly basis to provide strategic directions, develop resource materials, launch tobacco awareness campaigns, and provide inputs on tobacco control policy and its implementation at national and provincial levels.
Members of the TCWG consist of:
- Vietnam Committee on Smoking and Health (VINACOSH)
- The World Health Organization (WHO)
- HealthBridge – Viet Nam
- The Union
- The Atlantic Philanthropies
- Ha Noi School of Public Health
- Vietnam Public Health Association
- Vietnam Standard and Consumer Association
- Center for Research and Communnity Development (CDS)
- Vietnam Standard and Consumer Association (Vinastas)
Tobacco control working group (TCWG) members meet quaterly. However, based on the actual demands, the TCWG sudden meetings could be held for discusing, sharing and updating the policy advocacy or communication campaign.
Some sucesses on tobacco control coordination:
- Coordinate sucessfully the tc law advocacy. The Law has been ratified on 18 June 2012.
- Coordinate effectively the campaign for health warning regulation
- Coordinate and conduct sucessfully GATS 2014; GYTS 2003 & 2007; GSPS 2003 & 2007 and GHPS 2007