Doha, 15 April 2025: Hamad Medical Corporation’s Tobacco Control Center, a World Health Organization (WHO) collaborating center for treating tobacco dependence, held a training workshop to enhance the capabilities of healthcare professionals in treating tobacco addiction. This initiative is part of the center’s ongoing efforts to prevent smoking in Qatar.
Healthcare workers from national medical institutions, such as Hamad Medical Corporation, Primary Health Care Corporation, Ministry of Public Health, Naufar Center, Qatar Red Crescent, Qatar Armed Forces Medical Services, Lekhwiya Force Medical Services and Mowasalat Medical Services as well as regional participants from Sultanate of Oman, participated in the workshop, which was launched yesterday at the Pullman Hotel in Doha and will continue until April 16.
The three-day workshop's aimed to give attendees the scientific knowledge and practical skills they need to handle tobacco addiction situations successfully. The training program followed a comprehensive, evidence-based methodology to ensure optimal patient care and support.
“As we continue to grapple with elevated rates of use among both youth and adults in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, it is important to remember that tobacco dependence is a treatable condition. Equipping our health workforce with evidence-based cessation tools has never been more urgent," said Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean.
The workshop was attended by notable individuals, including Dr. Rayana Bou Haka, WHO Representative in Qatar; Dr. Ahmed Al Mohammed, Deputy Chief Medical Officer and Chair of Internal Medicine at HMC; Dr. Salah Al Yafei, Director of the Health Promotion Department at the Ministry of Public Health; Dr. Wadha Ahmad Al Baker, Director of Wellness Programs at PHCC and virtually by Dr Fatimah El Awa, Regional Advisor, Tobacco Free Initiative, WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean.
Lectures were presented by leading experts in the field, including Dr. Dong Bofu, Medical Officer for the WHO Tobacco-Free Initiative; Dr. Mohammed Al-Hamdani, Assistant Professor in the Public Health Department at Qatar University; and specialists from HMC’s Tobacco Control Center, including Dr. Ahmed Mohd Al Mulla, Director of HMC’s Tobacco Control Center; Dr. Maha Al-Muhannadi, Community Medicine Consultant and Dr. Ahmed Abdullah, Smoking Cessation Specialist.
Dr. Al Mulla emphasized that the workshop aligned with the center’s strategic plan to build and strengthen the capacity of healthcare professionals and enable them to effectively participate in tobacco control. He pointed out that the workshop’s program was based on scientifically proven methods and included lectures, presentations, case studies, discussions and interactive exercises.
Dr. Al Mulla called for more workshops throughout the year to expand the reach of training programs and involve healthcare professionals from the private sector and across the Eastern Mediterranean region. He also stressed that raising awareness and providing effective clinical interventions are essential measures in order to prevent tobacco use and minimizing its harmful impact on individuals and communities.
