HMC highlights tobacco control expertise in Dubai
Doha
On the occasion of World No Tobacco Day, Dr Ahmad Mohammad Al Mulla, senior consultant in Public Health and Disease Control and director of the Tobacco Control Center at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC)—a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Tobacco Dependence Treatment—participated in a workshop organised by Emirates Health Services. The event was held at the Primary Healthcare Department in Dubai on May 26. At the event, HMC showcased the expertise of the Tobacco Control Center and emphasised that Qatar is among one of the first in the region to introduce tobacco cessation services.
Dr Al Mulla presented an overview of the efforts undertaken by HMC and the Tobacco Control Center, highlighting key achievements in combating tobacco use in Qatar. He also provided a summary of the tobacco control laws issued by the State and their implementation, while sharing statistics on the prevalence of tobacco use in Qatar and across countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Dr Al Mulla further outlined the economic burden of the tobacco epidemic on Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and emphasised the pivotal role of the Tobacco Control Center in reducing tobacco use through ongoing educational and awareness activities within the community.
Dr Al Mulla outlined the free treatment services provided by HMC's Tobacco Control Center's cessation clinics, including the use of medications, nicotine replacement therapies, and laser treatment. He discussed psychological counselling and behavioural modification methods offered to tobacco users, in addition to the types of medical devices used to measure carbon monoxide levels and assess lung function.
Dr Al Mulla praised the role of HMC in supporting the Tobacco Control Center by providing free treatments to patients, emphasizing the critical importance of preventive services in reducing the spread of tobacco-related diseases.
He also thanked the organisers of the workshop for the opportunity to present the effective role played by HMC in tobacco control and the importance of continued collaboration between HMC, represented by the Tobacco Control Center and Emirates Health Services.
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