The Second International Conference on Water-Pipe Tobacco Smoking (Shisha) Research will begin today with the participation of over one hundred consultants and specialists from Qatar and around the world.

During the two-day event, being hosted by Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Dr Hajar Ahmed Albinali, former Minister of Health and director of HMC’s Cardiology Department, will deliver the opening lecture on “Smoking and Cardiovascular Diseases.”

Dr Tawfiq bin Ahmad Khowja, director general of the Executive Board of the GCC Health Ministers’ Council will speak about “GCC Legislation and the Role of Media in Shisha Control.”

A pre-conference training workshop on ‘How to Write a Summary or Abstract for a Scientific Study Proposal’ was held yesterday with over 60 participants from Qatar, GCC, other Arab countries, USA and Europe.

The training workshop was chaired by Prof Wasim Maziak from Florida International University.

Other speakers at the training are Prof Rima Afifi from American University of Beirut; Prof Thomas Eissenberg, Virginia Commonwealth University; Prof Scott Sherman, New York University; Prof Ghazi Zaatari, American University of Beirut and Prof Kenneth Ward, University of Memphis in the United States.

Conference chairman, Dr Ahmad al-Mulla, HMC’s head of Smoking Cessation Clinic, explained that the primary objectives of the workshop are to describe and analyse ‘collision of two epidemics’ of water-pipe and cigarette smoking globally, as well as to review and synthesise scientific evidence of smoking epidemics on the health (biological, physiological, social and economic) and on public policy determinants.

The conference also will explore means to build capacity in research on tobacco use, particularly in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and enhance linkages and collaborative partnerships globally and to promote wider regional presence at the Sixteenth International Conference for Smoking Cessation to be held under the theme: “Smoking or Health?” in Abu Dhabi in
March 2015.