A group from civil society has denounced the listing of alcohol and tobacco among essential products in the country. The 11 organisations involved in tobacco, alcohol control and health promotion, claim that the listing of the two among essential products will make the government’s efforts in fighting Covid-19 counterproductive. Others are NCD Alliance, BECHAMP, National Taxpayers Association and Social Liberation and Health Promotion Network. "We are saddened that the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade has chosen to enlist alcohol and tobacco as part of essential products," read a statement by the group. On Wednesday, the government published a list of essential products among them alcoholic beverages and tobacco.

Source: The Star April 09, 2020 15:55 UTC