Prominent transnational tobacco companies have hindered the implementation of public health policies and global tobacco control mechanisms. This has happened through various means as evident in the Malawian context. Such companies including Universal Corporation, BAT, Alliance One Cooperation, Phillip Morris, and others have devised methods allowing them to gain fully from their businesses while compromising the economy and public health of the tobacco producing countries like Malawi. By analyzing tobacco documents, it is crucial to understand that such companies have hindered the ratification of FCTC, an international treaty meant to guide the use and promotion of tobacco on health grounds.
Such companies have also influenced governments (Malawian government for example) to lobby against the public health resolutions in the WHO and UN’s meetings (Otañez, Mamudu & Glantz, 2009). This occurs despite the devastative effects of tobacco on the public’s well-being. The public health problems addressed in the Malawian context incorporate inability to access clean water by most people, limited sanitary and health obligations within the region, cumulative health effects of nicotine, and public health concerns relevant in the area. Despite these concerns, tobacco processing organizations still continue to operate minus observing the relevant health and economic concerns of the victimized countries (Bernhard, 2011). Their efforts to hinder FCTC and other internationally recognized public health concerns are devastating when considered critically.
Situation Analysis
Causes of problems faced in Malawi and other tobacco producing countries are numerous. Firstly, the transnational tobacco processing companies (including Universal Corporation, BAT, and Alliance One Cooperation among others) have contributed massively in this catastrophe. Such companies have managed to hinder the establishment, ratification, and embracement of both local and international public health and economic policies. They lure the concerned governments to lobby against such policies pretending that such guidelines, if enacted, might reduce employment opportunities in the tobacco sectors and consequently plunge the economy. It is from this concern that the entire arguments lie with exactness. This occurs despite the malicious gains attained by such companies (Otañez, Mamudu & Glantz, 2009).
Additionally, the concerned governments (including the Malawian government) have allowed these companies to interfere with the health and economic prowess. Involved governments have not ventured into other economic options to protect the public from further health damages fronted by tobacco and other related factors. Concurrently, the population at risk is the common people residing in the concerned countries. All the health and economic impacts fronted by tobacco usually affect the public and other vulnerable individuals. The concerned drivers to this situation incorporate poverty aspects, corporate malice, international influence, and the public ignorance on health issues related to tobacco.
Mapping the stakeholders and assessing their strengths
The stakeholders of this catastrophe are numerous when considered in the Malawian context. The first stakeholder in this context is the international /transnational tobacco processing companies. They are able to influence prices, employment opportunities, economies of the concerned countries, and the health policies proposed both locally and international by recognized bodies. They use vulnerable governments to attain their mandates. Another stakeholder in this syndicate incorporate the international organizations (UN, WHO, FAO, and ITGA).
They can make a considerable influence on the public health matters despite the challenges. UN and WHO can cooperate with the concerned countries to ratify their health policies with regard to tobacco. This is an important consideration when evaluated critically. Additionally, ITGA can fight conventionally for farmers to gain fully from their efforts (Otañez, Mamudu & Glantz, 2009). They can challenge the unfavourable policies set by prominent tobacco companies. Another stakeholder includes the government. It can use its bestowed mandates to change the situation minus compromising public interests. Additionally, the public is another stakeholder in this syndicate, which should stand up and fight for their rights.
Measures (suggested by authors) governments should take in order to mitigate the public health problem
Firstly, governments should establish and enact stringent public health policies without compromising their provisions. It is from this move that the entire public health concerns shall be achieved. This can only occur if they resist influences from the mentioned prominent tobacco companies. It is crucial to consider these provisions in the entire public health’s context. Evidently, governments can change the current situation if they resist rampant manipulations from the international tobacco companies. This is evident in the Malawian context. Additionally, governments should embrace the policies set by the international organizations including UN and WHO in order to remain relevant in the public health’s context (Beigbeder, 2003). This is relates to the ratification of FCTC, which was proposed to govern health issues related to tobacco. Concurrently, governments can avoid overdependence on tobacco for their economic prowess by indulging in other novel economic activities (diversifying the economy). This will avert the probable influences fronted by the prominent tobacco companies and enhance public health concerns.
Commenting on the appropriateness/effectiveness of the policies advocated by the article if implemented in the UAE
The policies advocated by the article can be appropriate when implemented in the UAE. The issues related to public health are conventionally accepted due to their applicability in the internationally realms. Contextually, the concerned policies will regulate the production and use of tobacco in UAE leading to improved health concerns and other related provisions. Tobacco stakeholders in the UAE region can adopt the advocated policies with appropriateness.
References
Beigbeder, Y. (2003). International public health: Patients’ rights vs. the protection of patents. Vermont, VT: Ashgate.
Bernhard, D. (2011). Cigarette Smoke Toxicity: Linking Individual Chemicals to Human Diseases. New Jersey, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Otañez, M., Mamudu, H. & Glantz, S. (2009). Tobacco Companies’ Use of Developing Countries’ Economic Reliance on Tobacco to Lobby Against Global Tobacco Control: The Case of Malawi. American Journal of Public Health. Vol. 99. No. 10: 1759-1771.