The Minister of State for Health and Population Padma Kumari Aryal on Friday said, “The government is considering banning tobacco products at specific areas in the country because the rise of COPD is directly linked to smoking.” She said this while speaking at an event held on Friday to announce the results of a three-year project in Bhaktapur that studied Chest Rehabilitation (CR) on patients suffering COPD.

“The sale and use of tobacco products inside and near hospitals, schools, governmental offices and other public places will soon be banned,” said Aryal.She stressed spreading awareness on the deadly consequences of using tobacco products and discouraging its consumption would significantly reduce the incidence of COPD in the country.

The government generates around Rs 16 billion revenue from taxes accruing from tobacco factories, but the government spends nearly Rs 32 billion in providing free healthcare facilities to the people infected by various lung diseases. At the event, health experts urged the government to establish a well-equipped CR centre in Nepal that provides services in all provinces to effectively to reduce incidence of COPD and other lung disease. (PR)