Novartis Consumer Health and Ministry of Health Dubai launch Ramadan programmes

As part of Novartis Consumer Health's contribution to ongoing health awareness programs offered to the community and in coordination with the Public Health and Primary Health Care Sector of the Ministry of Health Dubai and in line with their objective on making the UAE environment 100% free of smoke, corporate social responsibility programs were organized for employees in the private and government sectors on how to make the right choice and change your lifestyle to benefit your health and that of your colleagues at work and your family at home.

Other health activities will fill the month of September.

A Nutrition Station with a Fiber Quiz by benefiber from Novartis Consumer Health is available to test your fiber knowledge and see whether you are having the daily required allowances of fiber for a healthy digestive system especially when fasting. Adding a fiber supplement such as benefiber can ensure that you are getting the right daily amount especially if you find it difficult to get adequate amounts of fiber from eating high fiber foods alone". With no fat or cholesterol content, it is available in 2 forms; ready to drink sachets & powder. The syrup has a delicious green apple taste and is very convenient to use as it comes in pre-dosed sachets for individual servings, ready to drink. One sachet is the daily dose containing 5g of fiber, to be taken preferably in the morning. It does not need to be mixed with any foods or beverages. However, if required, it could be mixed with fruit juices or yogurt. The powder form can be added to anything that a patient enjoys eating without changing its taste or texture. It dissolves completely in hot or cold beverages and soft foods like pudding, yogurt or smoothies, with no taste and is grit free. It is also gluten and sugar free & made from 100% natural fiber.

A nutritionist from Karisma Ladies Center will be available to give free consultation to those who are interested and keen on changing their lifestyle to a healthier one. The nutritionist will also explain how smoking can affect digestive health.

Participants can avail of a chance to enter into raffle draws to win vouchers for various body massages and treatments from the same health center.

Hadra Darwish , Director of Health Education in the Central Department of Primary Healthcare says "Smoking cessation is the most important step that smokers can take to enhance the length and quality of their lives. Quitting smoking is not easy, but it can be done. To have the best chance of quitting successfully, you need to know what you're up against, what your options are, and where to go for help. For this we have opened smoking cessation clinics as a fruit of our joint efforts with Novartis consumer Health to ensure our objectives."

Mr. Rany Victor, Brand Manager for Novartis Consumer Health told us "We have made sure that the new clinic is very well equipped with the necessary equipment and supervised by professional doctors who will be available five days a week from Sunday to Thursday during the evenings from 5:00 pm till 9:00 pm . The Smoking Cessation Clinic in Ras Al Khaima operates from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm under the supervision of medical consultants".

Mr. Rany from Novartis continued to mention "Smokers are most welcome to register their names and enroll themselves into the program at any of the previously mentioned timings".

With the wide range of counseling services, self-help materials, and medicines available today, smokers have more tools than ever to help them quit successfully.

Remember, tobacco addiction has both a psychological and a physical component. For most people, the best way to quit will be some combination of medicine, a method to change personal habits, and emotional support. As for medicines, they can help you quit smoking if you choose the right one and use it correctly.

Medications can help you stop smoking. But they can't do all the work. If the will power to quit is there, they'll help you feel more comfortable and in control while you adjust to life without cigarettes. They actually double your odds of quitting for good.

Although you can buy some products without a prescription, it's best to consult your doctor to decide which product may be best for you. Follow the directions printed on the label of the product and take note of any warnings or precautions, and discuss possible drug interactions with your doctor or pharmacist.

The medicine you choose would most probably be approved by the FDA and registered in the country, but there will still be a few important questions to be clarified regarding the safety usage of the product: Does it offer a clear image regarding safety aspects? Is it new? How many patients have been treated with this product? How long has the medicine been in the market? Are there many side effects registered during the trial studies and after its distribution in the market? The longer the drug is in the market the better as this would give reassurance on its benefits and low risk rates and side effects. How many trials and on whom were they conducted? Many trials done on different population groups give the product a stronger safety level. People chosen in the trials should be from different groups in the population; those with high risk factors of other disease and others more healthy and less prone to disease whether genetically or especially if they were conducted on people with various risk factors. This makes the product pass a more difficult test.

Other questions to be asked outside the line of treatment would be: Is it an OTC (over the counter) drug? If not, then this would make us think that it is dangerous to a certain limit and must only be taken with a prescription or physician recommendation to prevent serious side effects or complications of improper use or abrupt halt of treatment.

Other questions besides safety would be: Is it affordable and is the treatment long? As expensive medicines would have a heavy load on the budget and long and complicated treatment periods make users lose patience and not follow proper instructions, increasing possibility of rebound.

Ramadan would be a good opportunity to help you quit smoking once you gather the will power and choose the product which will assist you.

According to the Fatwa and Research Administration in the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department in Dubai, there was controversial debate amongst Islamic scholars regarding the issue of prohibiting smoking in the past. Many books and articles were published then claiming smoking is forbidden, whilst others said it is only "unpreferred". But all this was at a time when the dangers of smoking on health, on financial savings and on society as a whole were not yet very well known as they are today where all reports agree on one major point, that smoking is harmful.