On May 31st, 2023, an awareness seminar on “World No Tobacco Day” was organised at Fatima Jinnah Medical University by the Department of Psychiatry and the Quality Enhancement Cell, FJMU.
Vice-Chancellor Fatima Jinnah Medical University Professor Khalid Masood Gondal graced the occasion as Patron-in-Chief.
Prof. Ali Madih Hashmi, Head of the Department of Psychiatry, King Edward Medical University, graced the occasion as a special guest.
On this occasion, Pro-Chancellor Prof. Kamran Khalid Khawaja, Registrar Prof. Dr. Muhammad Nadeem Qasoori, Dean Basic Sciences and Undergraduates Prof. Munazza Iqbal, Head of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department Prof. Ayesha Malik, Chairperson Medicine/Dean Nursing/ Director Quality Enhancement Cell Prof. Bilquis Shabbir, Head of Psychology Department Prof. Ayesha Rashid, Faculty Members, and a large number of students participated in the seminar.
The Seminar was attended by heads of Psychiatric Departments and Resident Psychiatrists from Jinnah Hospital, Lahore General Hospital, Mayo Hospital, Services Hospital, Sheikh Zayed Hospital, and the Pakistan Institute of Mental Health, Lahore.
The theme for the year 2023 is “We need food, not tobacco”. World No Tobacco Day is celebrated every year on May 31st to raise awareness about the harmful and deadly effects of tobacco. The 2023 Global Campaign aims to raise awareness of alternative crop production and marketing opportunities for tobacco farmers, encourage them to grow sustainable, nutritious crops, and educate the public about the harmful effects of smoking and deadly diseases. Every year, thousands of people in Pakistan suffer from deadly diseases like cancer due to smoking, and lung and mouth cancer also increase due to smoking. Tobacco has adverse effects on the health of people’s lungs, leading to a drastic increase in rates of chronic respiratory diseases.
On this occasion, Prof. Aysha Rasheed, Head of the Department of Psychiatry at Fatima Jinnah Medical University, gave a detailed briefing on World No Tobacco Day. She said that Tobacco Cessation Clinic has also been established in Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, where patients are provided with the best health facilities as well as counselling. She also shared the statistics of people affected by tobacco.
Vice Chancellor Prof. Khalid Masood Gondal welcomed the distinguished guests in his address. He said that awareness, preventive measures, and abstinence are important factors for the prevention of any disease. Cigarette smoke becomes part of our lungs, which damages our organs from head to toe and causes numerous diseases. A person starts an addiction when he is suffering from a problem. Allah Almighty said in the Holy Qur’an, “Peace of hearts is in the remembrance of Allah,” so we all should get rid of our worries with the help of Namaz, Qur’an Pak, Nawafil, and Durood Sharif. We should avoid any kind of smoking, whether active or passive. Along with this, he encouraged the audience to counsel other people to avoid smoking.
Chief Guest Prof. Ali Madih Hashmi thanked Vice Chancellor Prof. Khalid Masood Gondal for inviting him. He said that according to a survey, about 1.3 billion people worldwide and 2.5 crore people in Pakistan are suffering from smoking, due to which they suffer from dangerous diseases. He further said that the polluted climate is also a cause of lung diseases. We should avoid smoking and inform the people around us, our loved ones and relatives about this.
Director QEC, Prof Bilquis Shabbir reiterated the No Smoking policy within the University campus
A panel discussion was also organised in the seminar, in which experts from various departments shared their valuable opinions.
At the end of the ceremony, shields were distributed among the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Khalid Masood Gondal, Chief Guest, Prof. Ali Madih Hashmi, and experts, and a walk was also organised.
EVENT INFO :
- Start Date:May 31, 2023
- End Date:May 31, 2023