Dr. Kelly J. Henning Director, International Health Programs Bloomberg Foundation New York, Dr. Toker Ergüder, National Tobacco Control Programme Officer, World Health Organization (WHO) visited Dr. Savas Alpay, Director General of SESRIC, in his office on 26 June 2012.

At the outset, Dr. Alpay, welcomed the delegates and stated that SESRIC has recently initiated a new programme in response to the spread of tobacco epidemic in the OIC Member Countries and stressed that Tobacco Free OIC Initiative aims to facilitate the development and implementation of sustainable national tobacco control strategies in the Member Countries. Dr. Alpay also mentioned that SESRIC aims to enhance all sorts of cooperation and collaboration with all related national and international institutions aiming at realising its objectives for the benefit of all Member Countries. In this regard, he expressed SESRIC’s readiness in improving mutual relationship with Bloomberg Foundation, WHO and Johns Hopkins University on the area of tobacco control strategies.

Dr. Henning expressed her thanks to Dr. Alpay for his warm receiving of the delegation and stated that The Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use, funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies, is committed to reducing tobacco use in 15 large countries that account for two-thirds of the world’s smokers. She also informed the success stories and challenges of the 5 OIC Member Countries that Bloomberg Initiative has been focused on; Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia Pakistan and Turkey. She also stated that collaboration with SESRIC in tobacco control activities will enhance the effectiveness of their studies in OIC Member Countries.

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