The World Medical Association, the global representative body representing seven million physicians worldwide , exhorts governments across the world to take action to prevent cardiovascular disease and the health risks of tobacco.

Commenting on today's World Health Organization's annual report, Dr Delon Human, secretary general of the WMA, an independent confederation of national medical associations created to ensure the highest possible standards of professional care for patients, called upon governments to:

• establish policies on the prevention of cardiovascular disease.
  
  
• support their health care systems to ensure they provide basic diagnostic and therapeutic methods for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease.

He said that physicians played a major role and had the responsibility of promoting health. They had enormous credibility when speaking on health; governments and policy- makers should heed their advice.

'Physicians, on a daily basis, see the harmful effects of tobacco; they must therefore stand together in demanding effective legislation and regulation to control this pandemic. They must demand that governments have laws on tobacco control and that they promote good diet and exercise, which are other important factors in preventing cardiovascular disease.

The WMA applauds the courage of the World Health Organization, under Dr. Brundtland's leadership, in taking up the challenge to demand that governments and policymakers to act to tackle effectively tobacco and cardiovascular disease. They have both the opportunity and the duty to protect the health of their citizens and save lives'.