Dili. Indonesia has gone on the defensive over the glacial pace of its anemic efforts to tackle tobacco sales and consumption, saying it is addressing the problem in its own ways.

The country is the only one of 11 in the World Health Organization’s Southeast Asia region that has not signed the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which would oblige it to adopt strict measures to restrict the advertising, packaging and sales of tobacco products.

Speaking at a roundtable discussion of the WHO’s Southeast Asia Regional Committee Meeting in Dili on Monday, Tjandra Yoga Aditama, the Health Ministry’s head of research, said Indonesia was taking its own measures toward tobacco control despite being the lone holdout on the FCTC.

But Indian Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda argued that “the first step in tobacco control is by ratifying the FCTC.”

His counterpart from the Maldives, Iruthisham Adam, echoed the sentiment when she addressed the panel.

“Ratifying and implementing the FCTC remains the best step in controlling tobacco,” she said.

“Therefore it is instrumental for countries to ratify the FCTC as a catalyst in tobacco control,” she added.

Speaking toward the end of the discussion, Tjandra said Indonesia was fully aware of the need to control tobacco promotion and consumption, and was taking measures toward this end.

“Indonesia has already established a road map [on tobacco control] starting from now until 2025. This includes several activities with certain targets to be achieved during that time,” he said.

“Tobacco control is one of many important health programs in Indonesia. Yes, there are challenges, but we are and we will keep performing to protect Indonesians from the harmful effects of tobacco consumption.”

Tjandra noted there were 180 districts and municipalities – out of more than 500 throughout Indonesia – that had enacted local bylaws to control tobacco consumption and promotion, including banning outdoor advertisements and prohibiting smoking in certain public areas.

But the restrictions vary from one area to another, while efforts to enforce them have been inconsistent or, in some areas, nonexistent.

“Starting in 2014, Indonesia started requiring pictorial health warnings [on cigarette packs],” Tjandra said. “In the beginning there were some constraints, but in the end all cigarette packs now have pictorial health warnings.”

Health Minister Nila Moeloek, who made the briefest of appearances at the annual gathering, said earlier that Indonesia was committed to reducing tobacco consumption despite strong lobbying and resistance from tobacco companies and farmers.

“Although we still haven’t signed [the FCTC], such efforts are being done. We realize how important it is,” she told reporters after attending the opening session of the conference on Monday morning, before flying to Seoul just hours later.

The minister said that illnesses associated with tobacco, such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer, were a severe drain on Indonesia’s universal health insurance scheme, the BPJS.

“Cost-wise, it is better to prevent than cure the sick,” Nila said, but declined to comment on when, if at all, Indonesia would sign the FCTC.