Accra, Feb. 4, GNA- The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, has given= a grant of $7 million over five years to the American Cancer Society (ACS) to lead and co-ordinate the African Tobacco Control Consortium. The consortium is a global coalition of public health-oriented organisations focusing on using evidence-based approaches to stem the tobacco epidemic in Africa. A statement issued by the National Home Office of ACS to mark World Cancer Day 2010, said the consortium includes the Africa Tobacco Control Regional Initiative, Africa Tobacco Control Alliance, Framework Conventio= n Alliance, and Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease. "In a part of the world that is notably affected by HIV/AIDS, malari= a, and other infectious diseases, cancer is emerging as a serious public hea= lth threat. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, much o= f the rise can be attributed to widespread tobacco use and exposure to seco= nd hand smoke. Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in the world, and according to the World Health Organisation, if current trends continue, tobacco use would cause one billion deaths worldwide during this century"=

The statement said.

It added that as the managing organisation, the Society would collaborate with consortium partners to implement an ambitious tobacco control programme across the 46 countries of sub-Saharan Africa. "The consortium would assist national governments and civil society to implement policies such as advertising bans, tobacco tax increases, graph= ic warning labels, and the promotion of smoke free environments that are in line with the requirements of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control= , the world's first public health treaty" It said.

The Society funds more than 75 tobacco prevention and cancer control=

grants in Africa and has conducted workshops to educate journalists and advocated tobacco and cancer control issues. It was also a leading voice in the Global Smoke- free Partnership, which recently published a report calling for greater protection of Afric= ans from second hand smoke and exposing the efforts of tobacco companies to fight against tobacco control progress in Africa.