Smoking cessation clinic to open at Al Khor Hospital

A new smoking cessation clinic will be opened at Al Khor Hospital where it will become functional before the end of this year, local Arabic daily Arrayah reports.

A source at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) has told the daily that the new clinic comes within the framework of the continued increase in demand for this service. Also, according to the source, this is part of HMC’s focus on providing such services throughout the country and not limiting them to a specific place.

HMC’s smoking cessation clinic at Hamad Bin Khalifa Medical City currently receives some 1,000 referrals per month while taking care of fresh cases or follow-ups. The clinic, part of the Tobacco Control Centre, works five days a week and cases are addressed faceto-face while some are dealt through telephone and video consultations.

The HMC source explained that work has not yet resumed in the smoking cessation clinic at Al Wakra Hospital.

“Cases are being received at the main centre at Hamad Bin Khalifa Medical City. With the easing of Covid-19 restrictions, services at Al Wakra will restart while plans for service extension will be implemented,” the source said, adding that the services will resume within a few weeks.

The source explained that advanced technology and treating measures are used in smoking cessation clinics in the country, in addition to medication that helps patients stop smoking. Also, the centres have psychologists who provide counselling and encourage patients to quit smoking while motivating them. These experts work in co-operation with health educators and specialised nursing staff. He added that the success rate is 60% of the total cases, with 35% completely quitting smoking.