The fourth ‘No Tobacco Clinic’ will be opened at the Hamad Health Centre in two months, Bahrain’s Health Minister Sadiq Al Shehabi said.

He was speaking after patronising a ceremony at the Bapco Club in Awali to mark World No Tobacco Day, observed on May 31, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

"According to statistics compiled by No Tobacco Clinics at Hoora, Hamad Kanoo and Hidd-based Bahrain Kuwait Health Centres, 28.3 per cent of smokers aged below 18 and 35.8pc aged over 18 years quit the habit last year," he said.

The event was attended by Under-Secretary Dr Aisha Mubarak Bu Onq, senior officials, Bapco chairman Adel Almoayyed, corporate figures, consultants and employees.

According to the World Health Organisation, approximately one person dies from a tobacco-linked disease every six seconds - equivalent to almost six million people a year.

The number of fatalities is expected to exceed 8m by 2030, with more than 80pc of these preventable deaths occurring among people living in low-and middle-income countries.

Campaign

Meanwhile, Muharraq Municipal Council launched a 'quit tobacco' campaign under the theme "My life is more beautiful without smoking".

"The drive aims to help people quit tobacco - including cigarettes, tar, powdered tobacco mixed with lime and all other sources," said council chairman Mohammed Abdulla Al Sinan.

"In a first for Muharraq, Works, Municipalities and Urban Planning Affairs Minister Essam Khalaf agreed to decline licences for new sheesha outlets, while maintaining the existing ones.

"The drive is expected to have a far-reaching impact," Al Sinan said.

He said the 15-day programme would almost ride into the month of Ramadan.

On a longer term, the quit smoking campaign is expected to be taken to the airport in a bid to rid it of smokers, he added.

Muharraq governorate and Etisal Telecom promised co-operation in making the drive a success. - TradeArabia News Service