Health care facilities and health professionals and practitioners are role models for society. If smoke-free environments are not put into practice in health care facilities, including doctors’ offices and community clinics, the general public will not take tobacco control seriously. Article 8 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) requires the application of effective smoke-free policies. Although South Africa has made steady progress in tobacco control policy development, prevalence rates remain high at about 23% for adults who are daily smokers. It is time to take seriously the adoption of a 100% smoke-free environment to protect the health of people, particularly among those in health care facilities and institutions.

The Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) has received a financial contribution grant from the Canadian Ministry of Health—Health Canada—to collaborate with the public health associations (PHAs) of Tanzania, Uganda, and South Africa to review and compile best practice models, approaches and international evidence regarding the implementation and application of smoke-free policies and regulations for health care facilities. The assessment and review will provide the basis for consultations and the development of policy recommendations to the Ministries of Health and health care facilities. The Tobacco Control Working Group of the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA) is also playing a technical and advisory role. The deliverables of the project will benefit not only the three partner national PHAs in Sub-Saharan Africa but also their local partners in addition to the public health association global network and the global health community-at-large.

“The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the view of the Canadian federal government”.