Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India is hosting the Seventh Session of the Conference of Parties (COP7) to WHO FCTC during 7-12 November, 2016, at India Exposition Mart Ltd., Greater Noida, District Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh. The Conference shall be inaugurated by Shri J P Nadda, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare.

• Shri C.K Mishra, Secretary (HFW) briefed the media and said that this is a very critical and important event that will give us an opportunity to showcase what we have done and learn from other countries.
• Shri C K Mishra further informed that President of Sri Lanka, His Excellency Shri Maithripala Sirisena is a special invited speaker at the conference.
• The conference will lead into Delhi Declaration for supporting measures for tobacco control.
• It is the first occasion that a Conference of Parties (COP) meeting is being held in India and signals a strong commitment of the Government of India to increase international co-operation and awareness of the WHO FCTC globally and especially in the WHO South-East Asia Region.
• The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) is the first global evidence-based public health treaty that recognises the right of all people to the highest standard of health. The Treaty was developed by countries in response to the globalization of the tobacco epidemic.
• There are currently 180 Parties to the Convention. India has been the forerunner in ratification of this public health treaty and was the 7th Country to ratify the Convention in 2004.
• India provided a leadership role in the negotiations of FCTC and was also the Regional Coordinator for the South-East Asia Region.
• India ratified the treaty on 27th February 2005 and is therefore obligated to comply with the treaty provisions and its guidelines to reduce tobacco consumption globally.