MoPH attends international conference on tobacco control

The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) participated via video-conferencing in the 9th Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).Dr Kholoud al-Mutawa, the liaison officer for WHO FCTC and MoPH head of the non-communicable diseases department, represented the MoPH at the conference.The biennial conference is considered one of the most important international conferences to follow up on the developments and achievements of states in the field of tobacco control at the global level. Also, the conference discusses various methods of the tobacco industry and smoking companies and the consequent weakening of national policies in the countries of the world in combating tobacco products, especially emerging products.Qatar is one of the first Arab countries to accede to the WHO FCTC since 2003 and ratified the Protocol for the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products in 2018, which reflects the country's efforts to protect all members of society from the dangers of smoking.In this context, Qatar activated several decisions, including the ban on smoking in closed public places and the prohibition of selling tobacco products to those under the age of eighteen. Qatar has also banned the advertising or marketing of tobacco products in all media and social media.Also, MoPH, in co-operation with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, is conducting many preventive programmes and awareness campaigns about the dangers of smoking directed to various educational institutions, schools, and universities.The efforts of MoPH, in co-operation with the Hamad Medical Corp and Primary Health Care Corp, are continuing to promote policies in the field of smoking cessation, by providing smoking cessation clinics at the Primary Care Corp and the Smoking Control Center of the Hamad Medical Corp.