The Ministry of Health and Prevention, MoHAP, has recently launched a training program for enhancing the scientific and practical capabilities and skills of 500 doctors from its cadres, to provide smoking cessation services in clinics inside the primary health care centres, based on a standardized guideline aligned with the latest methods of treatment available globally.

Speaking on the first-of-its-kind program in the country, H.E. Dr. Hussein Abdel Rahman Al-Rand, Undersecretary of the Ministry’s Health Assistant Sector, Health Centers and Clinics, said: “The training program to develop doctors' skills in helping those willing to quit smoking comes as part of MoHAP’s constant endeavours, alongside its relevant partners, to reduce the rate of smokers in the country, based on successful international experiences.

He explained that the outcomes of the National Health Survey revealed the rate of smoking among adults has dropped to 18% since 2010, attributing this to several governmental legislative measures, such as Federal Law No. (15) of 2009 concerning tobacco control and its executive regulations, health education campaigns and initiatives, the mobile clinic for smoking cessation, and the increased number of smoking cessation clinics to 16 ones, in addition to implementing the selective tax on tobacco products.

“Smoking has hazardous fallouts such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and mental illnesses, in addition to the economic burden whether through increased expenses on health care, or indirect costs represented in the low productivity of society due to rates of premature death and the prevalence of diseases,” Al-Rand pointed out.

Dr. Haifa Faris, Deputy Director of the Primary Health Care Department, said: “The six-week program will be based on Maharati healthcare eTraining system, including practical sessions and an evaluation of the trainees by specialized trainers, in order to obtain a certificate qualifying them to provide smoking cessation services.”

She noted that Emirati doctors have prepared the scientific material for the training program, which will include all doctors with various specialities.