HPA Sets Guidelines for MVR 3 Million Annual Tobacco Prevention Funding for NGOs

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has issued policy guidelines for the annual disbursement of MVR 3 million to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) proposing activities aimed at preventing tobacco use and reducing tobacco consumption.

The guidelines, published in the gazette yesterday, stated t funding will be available to registered NGOs in the Maldives for community health initiatives, with grants divided into three categories based on the scope of proposed activities.

advertisement

Projects targeting a specific community or island can receive between MVR 75,000 and MVR 100,000, while initiatives benefiting the general population can receive between MVR 100,000 and MVR 300,000. Practical field activities covering multiple regions can receive between MVR 300,000 and MVR 500,000.

Applications will be assessed by a seven-member Awarding Committee appointed by the Minister of Health. The committee will include representatives from the Ministry of Health, Youth Advisory Board, Local Government Authority, HPA, Public Health Fund Committee and Ministry of Home Affairs.

The funding programme forms part of wider government measures to reduce tobacco use. Recent measures include the ban on vaping products, increases in tobacco import duties and the introduction of a generational tobacco ban preventing people born from 2007 onwards from purchasing or using tobacco products.