Middle East Healthcare News » smoking

Head and Neck Cancer is a Major Disease in KSA

ICTFH — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:40:48 +0000

Jeddah Hilton Hotel hosted the head and neck oncology conference, organized by the otolaryngology and oncology departments of King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center. The meeting included international and local speakers who discussed the latest in the field of head and neck cancer, the causes of the disease, how to diagnose it, and how to treat it today. The major reason of this fatal disease is smoking and the number of smokers across the Kingdom still increasing.

Head and neck cancer experts asked the citizens to quit this bad habit. Difficulty or painful swallowing or breathing, a mass or ulcer in the head and neck area, or voice change longer than two weeks are some unusual symptoms that need to be reviewed by doctors. Detecting the disease early facilitates its diagnosis and the patient’s response to the treatment. Head and neck cancer can be treated by surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy, or a combination of two or all three depending on the stage of the disease at the time of diagnosis.

Share/Save

Head and Neck Cancer is a Major Disease in KSA

ICTFH — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:35:10 +0000

Share/Save

Qatar’s SCH Is Trying To Stop Smoking in Shopping Malls

ICTFH — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 13:25:29 +0000

The Supreme Council of Health (SCH) in Qatar has been seeking more collaboration between its officials and officials of shopping complexes in order to ensure the application of the anti-smoking law.

Director of the Public Health Department of the SCH, Dr Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani, stressed that smoking in shopping complexes should be monitored and violators fined.

SCH authorities had convened a meeting with shopping complex officials as part of its efforts in applying the anti-smoking law. Moreover, Manager of the Health Promotion and Communicable Diseases Department of the Public Health Department, Dr Sheikha Al Anoud bint Mohammed Al Thani mentioned the necessity of increasing the awareness that is related to smoking and passive smoking hazards in shopping complexes in order to detect violations.

Share/Save

Al-Jinan University In Lebanon Bans Smoking

ICTFH — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 11:46:03 +0000

Administration of Al-Jinan University in Lebanon has banned smoking in its campus order to offer a healthier, better and cleaner environment for its staff and students. Accordingly, it will be the second university in the country after the American University of Beirut in 2008 to ban smoking across their campus.

Professor Aisha Yakan, deputy president of administrative affairs, during a meeting at the university’s campus in Tripoli mentioned that “We wanted to take the initiative ourselves and not wait until a bill in the government is issued so that our initiative would portray our commitment to protect the environment, and younger generations from all pests that can destroy their health and the health of other people around them”.

Yakan reported that the decision to forbid smoking was attributed to the university’s mission statement directly. She mentioned that “Al-Jinan institutions are academic institutions which have their beliefs and goals in serving the society, protecting it, guiding it and taking care of its members, both on the mental and physical levels”.

Universities and other institutions in Lebanon have been indifferent to the dangers of smoking and have not followed other countries in applying a smoking ban in indoor facilities. Yakan, who called on all smokers inside the facility to respect the new smoking policy in order to avoid warnings and probations that the administration might adopt against any violators, noted that “The decision we’ve adopted today is a brave one and will be a good point in the history of our institution”.

Share/Save

Ministry of Health In Saudi Arabia Launches Anti-smoking campagin During Ramadan.

admin — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 13:08:14 +0000

The Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia announced that it is launching an anti-smoking campaign throughout the country during Ramadan. The announcement was made by Dr. Majed Al-Munif, supervisor general of the Tobacco Control Program at the ministry. He said “It’s a timely launch geared to reduce the smoking population in the Kingdom,” he added that the campaign is going to use both the electronic and print media.

Dr. Al-Munif noted that television, radio, and thousands of leaflets, brochures and posters are going to deliver special messages to encourage people to stop smoking during Ramadan. These messages will also be displayed through the 20 health regions of Saudi Arabia. Moreover, the Ministry of Health is beginning a website, www.tcp-sa.org, addressing the same issue. The site will offer its visitors some guidelines they should follow to stop smoking. Dr. Al-Munif said “We will also try to reach a section of people through the Kingdom’s Daw’ah centers to encourage people to stop smoking. The holy month provides an ideal opportunity to give up smoking which has killed around 29 million people in the world,” he noted that the campaign will extend to 50 anti-smoking clinics throughout the Saudi Arabia. These clinics are going be kept open daily from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. during Ramadan. There are 10 among these clinics in Riyadh, and two of them are exclusively for women. Dr. Al-Munif continued “If smokers can do without tobacco during the day, why can’t they do without it during the night also? This will be the main emphasis of our campaign. We are trying to reach smokers through mosques, anti-smoking clinics, public places, parks, malls, hospitals and schools,” he said.

Share/Save

Novartis Collaborates With Exhealth to Roll Out ‘No Tobacco Campaign’

ICTFH — Mon, 17 May 2010 19:47:16 +0000

Novartis, in collaboration with ExHealth, is rolling out No Tobacco Campaign 2010, 15th May – 11th August, a three month initiative in UAE to highlight issues of smoking and to implement a tobacco free nation.

“With such risk in sight Novartis feels the need to unite efforts in implementing a tobacco free nation as a responsible corporate citizen,” said Fayez Awadeh – Brand Manager – Novartis Consumer Health.

The first phase of the campaign, 15th May to 31st May, will visit popular malls across Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Dubai in close interaction with mall visitors through campaign stands which will offer nicotine tests, free consultation with doctors and ‘Quit Smoking’ membership drive for people to sign up for.

Nicotinell offers a unique Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) to help smokers who sign up to break their smoking habit. NRT is one of the safest methods available. The 12 week program provides a measured dose of nicotine to help reduce the cravings until smokers are completely smoke free.

In partnership with MOH, Novartis consumer health has taken numerous bold initiatives to make UAE smoke free, for instance, Sponsoring six MOH smoking cessation clinics in Dubai, Ajman, Sharjah and Ras Al- Khaimah. The clinics provide free consultation and subsidized medication to all UAE residents. More than 8000 patients have already been treated through the clinic program. Another great initiative taken was educating and training pharmacists about smoking cessation programs through Novartis pharmacist Academy.

Share/Save

Ministry of Health Handles Anti-Tobacco Regulatory Laws

ICTFH — Wed, 12 May 2010 19:59:42 +0000

UAE Minister of Health, Dr. Hanif Hassan, has lauded efforts of the competent authorities, in cooperation with the Ministry in fighting smoking habit, ratifying federal law concerning tobacco control pointing out the cooperation between all relevant authorities in the UAE.

He said: “The UAE gives great concern to health policies and works on developing them according to the requirements and demands of modern times. Such policies would definitely have a direct impact on health practices, medical standards in order to raise the health sector and provide healthcare quality services”.

The Health Minister called the members of the society to consider the efforts of the committee members who seek for supporting health practices and drafting such bylaws before their submission to the higher authorities in the UAE.

The importance of consultation and exchanging views definitely supports the regulations and executive bylaws.Dr. Hanif focused on the importance of health education and clarifying such bylaws to the members of the community noting the necessity of cooperation between societal organizations in acknowledging the younger generations with the dangers of smoking and its effect on the health of both individuals and society members.

In addition, Dr. Weddad Al Maydoor, gave a detailed presentation about the implemented procedures and reviewed the different articles of the law.

The meeting discussed the main guidelines and formation of the team members in relation to the preparation of the executive by-laws.Dr. Mahmood Fikri, Executive Director for Health Policies said:
“The meeting discussed the arrangements of organizing a workshop between 24-25 May in cooperation with the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office in the attendance of 5 experts who participated in the preparation of the executive by laws”.

The law included 25 articles that need to be regulated and clarify the detailed procedures in terms of tobacco products standards and regulations of packaging tobacco products. Dr. Fikri explained that tobacco consumption in the gulf region is an economic, social and health burden for more than 50 years due to the rapid spread of smoking and other habits such as shisha “hanooka” and the electronic cigarette.

Share/Save

The Cabinet to Implement A Ban on Smoking

ICTFH — Tue, 11 May 2010 12:57:11 +0000

The Cabinet will discuss the means of implementing a ban on smoking in public and the places to be included under the decision, according to a top government official.

Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications and Government Spokesperson Nabil Sharif said the Cabinet will also define the stages through which the ban will be implemented in those places where implementation will be gradual.

The Cabinet on decided to ban smoking in ministries and government institutions as well as public places as of May 25, in accordance to the Public Health Law that prohibits smoking in public places.

According to the law, public places include hospitals, healthcare centres, schools, cinemas, theatres, libraries, museums, public and non-governmental buildings, public transport vehicles, airports, closed playgrounds, lecture halls and any other location to be determined by the health minister.

The law also stipulates that any person caught smoking in a public place is subject to between one week and one month imprisonment or a JD15-JD25 fine. The same penalties apply to those who sell cigarettes to underage youths.

The Jordan Restaurants Association (JRA) requested a postponement of the ban to conduct a study on the feasibility of implementing the law and people’s acceptance of it.

According to the results of the study, which was finalized in February, a majority of those surveyed, including non-smokers, said they were against the ban.

In the survey, 50 per cent of non-smoking restaurant customers and 33 per cent of non-smokers who patronize coffee shops said they opposed the law.

Share/Save

Osteoporosis Indicated in One Third of Older Men Undergoing Treatment in Hospital

admin — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 19:02:18 +0000

In a study conducted by Dr. Haider M Al Attia, Consultant Internal Medicine and Rheumatology at Al Noor Hospital, Airport Road, Abu Dhabi, tested the density of the femur bone in140 predominantly Arab male patients aged 55 years and over – who were attending hospital for the treatment of other conditions – to determine the prevalence of osteoporosis in this group.

The research found that between 22 percent of men aged 55 plus, and 34 percent of those over the age of 64.5 years, were suffering from the bone condition, which increases the risk of bone fracture and the likelihood of disability and death.

“Osteoporosis is a hidden disease in men, but from my own study you can see that the condition could be affecting a significant number of older Arab males in the UAE. The majority of these men will not even know they have the disease and may already have fractures that can lead to serious disability, and an increased risk of death,” Dr. Al Attia warned.

“Despite osteoporosis being more common in women, our study highlights the fact that if you are a male with osteoporosis you are as likely to suffer from a fragility fracture as a female patient. Early diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis is essential, because after one fracture there is a five to 10-fold increase in the risk of suffering a second fracture within one year, and a two-fold increase in risk of hip fracture, with a resulting rise in the chance of suffering from disability and death,” Dr Al Attia said.

“Doctors in the UAE have all kinds of medications within accessible reach which they can use to treat osteoporosis, and men should be benefitting from these treatments, as well as women. Osteoporosis should always be investigated when caring for elderly patients, and it is vital that health providers and health educators in the UAE start to raise awareness of this debilitating disease among men,” he added.

However, there are a number of other factors which increase the risk, including treatment with glucocorticoid steroids, anticonvulsants, Vitamin D deficiency, chronic liver and kidney disease, smoking, excess alcohol intake, low levels of androgens, such as testosterone, and low levels of oestrogen.

Share/Save

Qatar Foundation And SCH Launch Campaign Against Smoking

ICTFH — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 13:29:09 +0000

The Qatar Foundation and Supreme Council of Health (SCH) launched a campaign against smoking, aiming to raise awareness about the dangers of tobacco, in and around Education City.

The campaign is organized annually by the World Health Organization and in Qatar by the Supreme Council of Health, began recently in the Liberal Arts and Sciences building and moved today to the Recreation Center at Education City.

The Health, Safety, Security and Environment Directorate (HSSE) decided to launch the campaign after the announcement of recent statistics indicating that almost 40 percent of residents in Qatar are smokers, most of whom are people in their teens or early twenties.

“We were determined to have an effective and material participation in the fight against smoking,” said Abdullah Al Modhaki, HSSE director.

Share/Save