Smoking kills more than 8 million people and passive smoking is blamed for 1 million deaths every year...
Smoking kills more than 8 million people and passive smoking is blamed for 1 million deaths every year.
Smoke-free hospitals
The Tobacco Control Law approved by the National Assembly has taken effect as from May 1, 2013. The article 11 stimulates that smoking is completely prohibited in all medical establishments. In Khanh Hoa, tobacco control and prevention are included in annual work plans. Non-smoking signs are put in all places where smoking is banned in the campus, departments, rooms and in public and crowded places at healthcare facilities and hospitals in Khanh Hoa, according to Dr. Le Hong Quan, Chief of the Health Professional Office, Khanh Hoa Department of Health.
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In addition, hospitals have included the responsibility of the leaders of agencies and organizations in the prevention and control of tobacco control in annual action plans in order to raise awareness of harmful effects of tobacco among patients, their families and hospital staff. Hospitals have established steering boards for tobacco control and prevention; assigned specific tasks in communication and strengthened tobacco control inspection and supervision in hospitals.
After 5 years of implementing the Tobacco Control Law, healthcare facilities have included non smoking legislation in their regulations and evaluation criteria for individuals and groups; organized commitments to smoke-free environment in departments and rooms in hospitals; kept patient rooms smoke-free; launched a green, clean, beautiful, environmentally friendly movement in combination with tobacco-free medical facilities.
Behavior change propaganda
According to Dr. Le Hong Quan, the health sector has coordinated with agencies and departments in the province to organize seminars on harmful effects of tobacco, sharing experience of successfully quitting smoking; organize knowledge contests about keeping smoke-free workplaces; tobacco control and prevention propaganda; and enforcement of smoke-free environmental regulations for each target group. Many medical facilities have held writing contests, introducing good examples and effective models and activities posted on portals and broadcasts in the hospital to encourage tobacco control and prevention activities.
The smoke-free messages delivered and inspired by the propaganda have impacted the behavior and attitudes of both smokers and non-smokers, urging smokers to stop smoking when with others and try to give up smoking.
The annual assessment of the Fund for Prevention & Control of Tobacco Harms in the period 2014 - 2018, conducted by the Community Health Organization, showed that more than 50% of people aged 15 years and older have access to tobacco control communication activities.
Through the propaganda of health workers, up to 84% of the people surveyed are worried about tobacco harms on their health and family. Approximately 50% of smokers surveyed were advised by their families to quit smoking in the last 6 months; 70% of them try to quit smoking; 61% of nonsmokers persuade smokers to quit smoking. The survey also showed that 90% of smokers comply with smoke-free environment regulations thanks to communication campaigns; and approximately 79% of non-smokers react when inhaling smoke from smokers’ cigarettes.
Q.L
Translated by N.T
