DHA launches third phase of anti-smoking campaign

Email | Print

Comment

Recommend this story (*)

[-]Text[+]

Dubai -The Primary Healthcare Section at DHA has launched its third phase of the anti-smoking campaign.
 
Dr Ahmed Kalban, CEO of primary health sector at the  DHA said that the year-long campaign is curial to create much-needed awareness about the health hazards of smoking.
 
The year-long campaign which began in May this year, has completed its first two phases. In the first phase, the campaign aimed to create public awareness about the campaign and focussed on training DHA primary healthcare physicians to provide smoking cessation counselling for the public.
 
In the second phase of the campaign, the primary healthcare sector of the DHA reached out to the community during the holy month of Ramadan.
 
The third phase of the campaign,  which began in the first week of November, will target schools and governmental organisations.
 
Dr Kalban said that the DHA will conduct lectures and other initiatives across schools in Dubai and educate students from grade 7 to grade 12 to inform them about the dangers of smoking. The initiative included distribution of warning pictures which depict the health hazards of smoking.
 
He said that figures studies undertaken by the primary health sector in 2008 show that the prevalence of smoking is approximately 13.3% in the age group of 14 to 18 years, of this percentage 7.4% are boys and 8.5% are girls.
 
Dr Kalban highlighted the importance of such initiatives and said, “We are trying to reach out to all sections of the society from school children to women so that we can target various groups and inform them of the ill effects of smoking.  This campaign is in line with the vision of the primary health sector to reach out to the community and promote healthy living and disease prevention said Dr. Maha Ali Hassan, deputy head of the Nad Al Sheba Health Centre.
 
The fourth phase will begin in March 2009 and will focus on educating women about the health complications of smoking. Dr. Hanan Obaid, Head of Nad Al Sheba Health Centre, DHA said ” We will reach out to women by visiting women’s associations, clubs, and colleges and provide free counselling sessions. We will ensure that all sessions will be considered confidential because many women may feel hesitant to attend these sessions.
 
 “We want to create awareness among women that smoking increases the risk of miscarriage, low birth weight, premature babies, stillbirth and early menopause amongst other diseases in women.”
 
The last phase, which is the fifth phase of the campaign, will be around the 31^st of May, 2010. Dr. Maha Ali Hassan, deputy head of the Nad Al Sheba Health Centre said that this phase will include highlighting the achievements of the campaign and discussing future plans to carry out anti-smoking initiatives.

Email | Print

RECOMMEND THIS STORY

Your Vote 1 2 3 4 5

Average Rating

Add your own comment: