The Central Municipal Council hosted a team from Hamad Medical Corporation ( HMC) to showcase the efforts of its Tobacco Control Centre 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 Centre at HMC, an accredited centre by the World Health Organisation. 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 co-operation 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 Centre, treatment methods, and the facilities provided by the centre 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 centre for smoking cessation in Hamad Bin Khalifa Medical City and specialised clinics in HGH, Al Wakra Hospital, Hazm Mebaireek Hospital, Al Khor Hospital, in addition to 16 health centres offering smoking cessation assistance," said Dr al-Mulla.
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 centre to launch more campaigns. He emphasised that tobacco control services are joint community efforts involving all parties. He 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 Centre to control smoking. The council members expressed their readiness to support the initiative "Together for a Smoke-Free Majlis”. The president honoured the team from HMC by presenting a commemorative plaque as a token of appreciation for the centre's efforts in smoking control.
HMC team gives a presentation at Central Municipal Council session
