DHA launches anti-smoking campaign

The campaign, "Tobacco-free Dubai...Together for a society free from smoking" will be implemented in five phases and will target various organizations from schools to shopping malls to create awareness about the health hazards of smoking.

Dr Amer Sharif, Director of Human Resources at the Dubai Health Authority said the campaign is a much-needed initiative to create awareness about the health implications of tobacco consumption "Initiatives such as this one are crucial to create awareness especially amongst our youth about the dangers of smoking. We need a multi-disciplinary approach that includes both health policies and awareness initiatives to prevent the use of tobacco and compel smokers to quit the habit."

According to World Health Organization (WHO) statistics, the number of smokers in the UAE has increased said Dr Ahmad Ibrahim Kalban, Acting- director of Primary Health Care, DHA. "It is a known fact that smoking is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. The burden of health complications caused by smoking is a worrying scenario across the world and we need an integrated approach to tackle this menace."

Dr. Hanan Obaid, Head of Nad Al Sheba Health Centre, DHA, said that according to WHO statistics, the proportion of youngsters who smoke in UAE is about 29% of men and 14% of women. Further, WHO statistics reveal that tobacco has claimed the lives of more than 100 million people worldwide in the 20th century and it is expected that over one billion people will die in the 21st century from tobacco use.

"We have launched this campaign based on the recommendations made in a WHO report which has mentioned some important strategies that should be implemented to prevent and limit the use of tobacco,"

said Dr Obaid.

Keeping in line with the WHO recommendations, the campaign has been divided into five phases.

In the first phase, DHA will create public awareness about the campaign and will focus on training DHA primary healthcare physicians to provide smoking cessation counseling for the public.

The second phase of the campaign will begin in September 2009 and will target Schools in Dubai, said Dr Obaid. "Schools in Dubai will re-open around this time and we will have lectures and other initiatives for students from grade 7 to grade 12 to inform them about the dangers of smoking." The initiative will include distribution of warning pictures which depict the health hazards of smoking.

After creating awareness amongst school children in Dubai, the third phase of the campaign will begin in January, 2010 and will target organizations and various shopping malls in the city, 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, said Dr Obaid. "We will reach out to women by visiting women's associations, clubs, and colleges and provide free counseling 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 31st of May, 2010. This phase includes highlighting the achievements of the campaign and discussing future plans to carry out anti-smoking initiatives.