Spread the movement to build "Smoke-free medical facilities"

The launching ceremony of the "Smoke-free medical facility" contest was held on September 17 in Hanoi.

Vietnam has a system of 1,665 hospitals from the central to local levels, including both public and non-public health facilities. Each year, tens of millions of people are admitted and examined and treated.

Over the past years, thanks to the close attention and direction of the leaders of the Ministry of Health , the Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund has supported ministries, branches, provinces and cities to promote the implementation of smoking ban regulations in accordance with the Law on Tobacco Harm Prevention in public places, in which medical facilities are places where smoking is completely prohibited throughout the premises.

In fact, medical facilities have also implemented many synchronous measures such as: posting "no smoking" signs; developing internal regulations, assigning responsibility to medical staff in maintaining a clean, smoke-free environment; counseling on the harmful effects of tobacco and smoking cessation for patients and their families... Thanks to that, millions of patients, their families, and medical staff have been and are benefiting from a clean, smoke-free medical environment.

The activities have created a major change in awareness, sense of responsibility and behavior of leaders of units, civil servants, employees, workers and people in complying with regulations prohibiting smoking in medical facilities, ensuring a smoke-free environment and minimizing health risks for people.

According to the report results after more than 10 years of implementing regulations on smoke-free environments, the rate of exposure to secondhand smoke has decreased significantly in most public places, of which in medical facilities it has decreased from 23.6% (in 2010) to 21.3% (in 2023).

Notably, with the support of the Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund, many medical staff at hospitals have been trained in counseling and treatment of smoking cessation. Providing free smoking cessation counseling services via hotline 1800 6606 (Bach Mai Hospital) along with a system of direct counseling rooms at 10 central and local hospitals has helped thousands of people quit smoking.

Dr. Ha Anh Duc, Vice Chairman of the National Medical Council, Director of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management, Director of the Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund (Ministry of Health), shared: medical facilities, more than any other place, need to be an absolutely clean environment to protect patients, medical staff and patients' families. Since 2012, the National Assembly has issued the Law on Tobacco Harm Prevention, which stipulates a complete ban on smoking within medical facilities.

Although this work has achieved many remarkable results in recent years, its implementation is still ineffective in some places. Therefore, recently, the Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund in collaboration with the Health and Life Newspaper launched the "Smoke-free Medical Facility" Contest to continue promoting the achievements, while discovering, honoring and replicating effective models and initiatives in building smoke-free medical facilities nationwide. The Organizing Committee hopes that the contest will create a healthy competitive motivation, turning the implementation of regulations into a goal to strive for and be creative.

It can be affirmed that the movement to build smoke-free medical facilities has been and continues to contribute to reducing smoking rates, reducing exposure to secondhand smoke, improving the image of the medical sector and bringing a green, clean and beautiful medical examination and treatment environment to people.

The Organizing Committee hopes that all medical facilities will actively participate in the contest and increasingly perform better, have more initiatives in the work of preventing and combating the harmful effects of tobacco and implementing a smoke-free environment. The Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund will continue to accompany, support resources and closely coordinate with ministries, branches, provinces and cities so that the movement "Smoke-free medical facilities" can spread widely and sustainably.

Quang Minh

Source: https://nhandan.vn/lan-toa-phong-trao-xay-dung-co-so-y-te-khong-khoi-thuoc-la-post909392.html