Doha, Qatar: As part of the Hamad Medical Corporation’s Tobacco Control Center efforts, the Central Municipal Council hosted a team from HMC to showcase the efforts of the Tobacco Control Center and the initiative: "Together for a Smoke-Free Majlis" as a continuation of HMC’s efforts to control smoking.
The team was led by Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Al Mulla, Director of Tobacco Control Center at HMC, an accredited center by the World Health Organization. The accompanying team included Dr. Maha Al Muhannadi, Dr. Jamal Basehi, and Noor El Nakib. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss ways of mutual cooperation with the Municipal Council to enhance the effectiveness of anti-smoking efforts and support the "Together for a Smoke-Free Majlis" initiative. The meeting took place within the framework of the Central Municipal Council's discussion of strategies to address the issue of smoking within its jurisdiction. The meeting was attended by members of the Central Municipal Council and the General Secretariat.
At the beginning of the meeting, Dr. Al Mulla reviewed Qatar's journey in smoking control, the vision of the Tobacco Control Center, treatment methods, and the facilities provided by the Center as part of the anti-smoking efforts. Dr. Al Mulla presented global statistics on the negative effects of smoking, the scale of the smoking problem, and the quantity of imported tobacco in Qatar, and discussed smoking risks on the society and the health benefits of quitting.
“Smoking cessation services in Qatar are preventive and therapeutic services available free of charge to all residents. They are provided in government health institutions, including HMC, which has dedicated a center for smoking cessation in Hamad Bin Khalifa Medical City and specialized clinics in HGH, Al Wakra Hospital, Hazm Mebaireek Hospital, Al Khor Hospital, in addition to 16 health centers offering smoking cessation assistance", said Dr. Al-Mulla.
"The main goal of the meeting is to review the objectives of the “Together for a Smoke-Free Majlis” initiative recently launched by the Center, reflecting HMC's commitment to control smoking. We discussed ways of participation in this initiative and avenues for cooperation and support between the Council and the Center to enhance the campaign's success. We also discussed the Center's vision and the therapeutic and preventive services it provides to control smoking."
Dr. Al-Mulla pointed out that over 25.2% of adults aged 18 and above in Qatar are daily tobacco users, imposing additional responsibilities on the center to launch more campaigns. He emphasized that tobacco control services are joint community efforts involving all parties. Dr. Al-Mulla affirmed that Qatar was among the first countries in the region to introduce smoking cessation services in 1999, receiving WHO Tobacco Control Accreditation in 2017, making it the first in the region.
The President of the Central Municipal Council praised the efforts of HMC’s Tobacco Control Center to control smoking. The council members expressed their readiness to support the initiative "Together for a Smoke-Free Majlis”. The President honored the team from HMC by presenting a commemorative plaque as a token of appreciation for the center's efforts in smoking control.
Dr. Al-Mulla commended the role of the Central Municipal Council in supporting the initiative for "Together for a Smoke-Free Majlis” aiming to convey and promote the initiative's social goals to social gatherers in Qatar. Dr. Al-Mulla invited all smokers in Qatar to benefit from the free treatment services offered by the Tobacco Control Center at HMC for permanent and early smoking cessation. HMC requested the support of the Majlis owners and residents of Qatar for the initiative which has a direct impact on community health. Majlis owners who are interested in participating in the initiative can contact the center through WhatsApp at 5080 0959 or by calling 4025 4857 to schedule a visit by the Tobacco Control Center team to the Majlis.
