Media Release
For immediate publication 11 July 2008
WHO award for Prof Harry Seftel
The National Council Against Smoking (NCAS) is proud to announce that its Chair, Prof Harry Seftel, was awarded with the World Health Organisation’s Special Director General Award for World No Tobacco Day. The award will be made at a ceremony at the African Health Ministers’ meeting in Yaounde, Cameroon on 1st September 2008.
The Executive Director of the NCAS, Dr Yussuf Saloojee, said “We are delighted that Prof Seftel’s outstanding achievements have been recognised. He is amongst the first South Africans to recognise the enormous harm tobacco does to our society and helped found the NCAS in 1976. Tobacco kills over 42 000 South Africans every year - three times more than are killed on our roads – and this toll would have been higher but for the efforts of “Prof Harry”. His dedication and hard work has resulted in a reduction of tobacco use in South Africa. ”
In 1990 smoking prevalence in the country was about 37% and cigarette consumption about 40 billion sticks a year. Today prevalence is down to about 22% and consumption is approximately 22 billion sticks. This is a massive reduction comparable to the achievements of any other country in the world.
Professor Seftel is one of the most renowned educators in South Africa, enjoying high popularity with the public. He has a special ability to communicate in language that the public understands.
During his 32 years as chairman of the NCAS and longer as a doctor and professor, Harry Seftel has fought for tobacco control legislation and consistently promoted a healthy lifestyle. He has also served on the board of the SA Council on Alcohol and Drugs.
On his regular television and radio shows, Prof Harry has passionately pleaded with people to abandon their “Deathstyles” by quitting smoking, and adopting a healthy “fish, fowl and fibre” diet.