» When
were you born?
I was born at Pindaya in southern Shan State in 1954.
» What
is your educational background?
I graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine from the Institute of
Medicine in Mandalay in 1980. In 1989, I was awarded a Master’s
Degree of Medical Science in Public Health from the Yangon Institute
of Medicine (1) and in 1996 I was awarded a Master’s Degree
in Public Health from Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public
Health in the United States.
» When
was the Tobacco Free Initiative Project established?
The project was established in 2000 in response to moves by tobacco
companies to target young people and women in developing countries
as potential consumers.
» When
were you appointed manager of the project?
I was appointed as the first project manager in 2000. My position
involves designing work plans, fund raising, conducting research
and giving health education on tobacco use. The project cannot
perform this work alone and relies on cooperation from the ministry’s
other departments, UN agencies and international and national
non-government organisations.
» Why
were you interested in being involved in the campaign against
tobacco use?
In 1996 when I was studying in the United States, I had to attend
talks on tobacco use and that aroused my interest in the issue.
Another reason is that it makes me sad to see people suffering
the consequences of tobacco use.
» What
is the most challenging aspect of your job?
Convincing people to stop smoking, which is not easy.
» How
did you feel when the World Health Organisation gave you an award
to mark World No Tobacco Day on May 31?
It was unexpected so I was both surprised and pleased that my
contribution to fighting tobacco use was recognised. It will also
motivate me to face new challenges in controlling tobacco products.
» What
have been some of the main achievements of the project?
One major achievement was that Myanmar became the 11th country
to ratify the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control adopted
at the WHO World Health Assembly in 2003. Hospitals and 75 per
cent of government state schools in the country are now tobacco
free zones. All forms of tobacco advertising were banned in Myanmar
in April last year.
» What
are some of the main health problems associated with tobacco use?
About 90 per cent of the men who smoke contract lung cancer.
Smoking is also a major cause of heart disease.
» Is
the project involved in educating children about the dangers of
tobacco use?
The project, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, has
been teaching children from kindergarten to tenth grade about
the dangers of smoking since last year.
» Why
do you think more boys than girls use tobacco products?
In developed countries, the number of boys and girls who smoke
is the same. But in most Asian countries, urban educated women
rarely smoke as the habit is socially unacceptable. Another reason
why more boys than girls smoke is peer pressure.
» Where
can tobacco users seek help to give up the habit?
What matters most is the willpower to stop. But we have a clinic
at Yangon General Hospital’s Cardiology Unit where people
can ask doctors for advice about how to quit. If someone wants
to use drugs to stop smoking, they should first consult a doctor.
» Have
you ever used tobacco products?
Never.
» What
is your life motto?
To do my best for the good of the community.
