Bill read Disease Priorities in the Developing World and saw the numbers. Then he learned that no big donors were giving money for tobacco control. The program is in China, India and Africa; not just in China. And it also involves Global Public Goods and research.

There was at least one significant private donor in tobacco control: Mike Bloomberg. His total personal contribution at $375 million is the highest.
A few other groups were/are funding tobacco control efforts in low income countries like the American Cancer Society, the Norwegian Cancer Society...
I find interesting that at one point the World Health Organization had suggested that in each country 1% of the taxes collected on tobacco products be devoted to tobacco control activities.
This simple proposal -if implemented- would make a big difference. Of course there are also tobacco control measures that don't cost anything but are not implemented, like graphic health warnings on cigarette packs.
The tobacco industry is very powerful and this is very different from battling malaria.

Thanks for your informative comment.