STAKEHOLDERS CONSULTATION ON TOBACCO CESSATION PROGRAM

Prepared by: Mr Shemroy Pompey – Drug Inspector at Government Analyst Food and Drug Department.
Activity / Event: Stakeholders Consultation on Tobacco Cessation Program
Date : September 30,2019
Place : Mental Health Boardroom, Georgetown Guyana
Goal: To reduce the burden of tobacco related diseases in the Guyanese population.
Objective: To develop a Tobacco Cessation Program for Primary Health Care in Guyana.
Summary:
The meeting began with some brief remarks by the Dr Shamdeo Persaud, Chief Medical Officer, Ministry of Public Health, Guyana. Followed by Overview of Tobacco Situation in Guyana by Dr Kavita Singh, Tobacco Cessation and The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control by Kesaundra Alves,Public Health Attorney,National WHO/PAHO Consultant and lastly Overview of Tobacco Cessation Program by Mr Wayne Hunte-Consultant.
Benefits of smoking cessation in primary care patients
Tobacco cessation interventions can be extremely effective and providers who perform even brief interventions of ‘advice to quit’ to patients can significantly increase abstinence rates. Health care providers should present a clear, concise and consistent “quit” message to all their patients who use tobacco.
Effective interventions can be brief (3-10 minutes) or intensive (lasting for >10 minutes). Brief 3-minute interventions advising patients to quit can enhance abstinence rates. Even without a tobacco cessation program, brief counseling and medications provide as part of ongoing health care can be effective. When creating a tobacco cessation program, start small and manageable by selecting brief interventions appropriate for the setting. Identify primary care providers and key staff with an interest in tobacco cessation. Build the program by incorporating more intensive interventions when appropriate. Monitor and track your patients’ progress.
Benefits
Smoking is the most clinically important modifiable cardiovascular risk factor for all patients. Smoking cessation can reduce and prevent many smoking-related health problems.
• Tobacco cessation reduces the risk of stroke,heart disease, and peripheral vascular disease.
• Smoking cessation reduces coughing,wheezing,and shortness of breath.
• Smoking cessation reduces the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD).
• Smoking increases the rate of infertility in women during their reproductive years. Women who stop smoking during their reproductive years have a reduced risk of infertility and women
• Tobacco use in women who stop smoking during pregnancy reduce the risk of having a low birth-weight baby.
• Every attempt to quit improves the probability of eventual success.
Frames
Research shows that most effective treatments contain a common core of ingredients, which promote change. They can be summarized by the acronym FRAMES:
• FEEDBACK of personal risk or impairment
• Emphasis on personal RESPONSIBILITY for change
• Clear ADVICE to change
• A MENU of alternative change options
• Therapist EMPATHY
• Facilitation of client SELF-EFFICACY
Recommendations/ Follow-up:
– Inspectors at the department to aid in the enforcement of the Tobacco Control Act.
– Food Inspectors to restrict the importation of cigarette like candies.