11 July 2016 | Belgrade, Serbia [Vlado Havran] Adventist health experts in Belgrade, Serbia, have found a way to use topical subjects to connect with their communities. In a country where smoking is still a major issue, the South-east European Union Conference Health Ministries department, together with the Belgrade Life and Health Association, developed a ‘Say no to Cigarettes’ programme for World No Tobacco Day.
Tuesday, 31 May 2016, saw an intentional health programme, named CHANGE ATTITUDE – BE HEALTHY – say NO to cigarettes, held in Serbia’s capital, Belgrade. It reached several hundred people.
According to World Bank statistics, 46% of Serbian men smoke, although this is a drop of 11% since 2000. However, this compares with 32% across the EU and nearer 22% for countries like the UK that have developed strong legislation and encouragement for people to give up smoking.
In Belgrade, Adventists stepped to the fore to raise public awareness about the hazards of tobacco consumption and to promote their QUIT NOW – 7 steps to freedom seminar. The event was organised in close co-operation with the Serbian Institute of Public Health [SIPH], the Office forTobacco Prevention, the Institute for Blood Transfusion, The Military Medical Academy, and Pharmaceutical Student Organisations. Among other initiatives, they combined with state health institutions, the media and health experts to promote the idea of introducing plain packaging for cigarettes.
The event was opened by Zorica Plavšić, MD PhD MPH, president of the Life and Health Association. She stated her joy to be “part of such a successful and well-organised, creative and educational event.” She also pointed out the need for continued warnings about the hazardous effects of tobacco smoke, not only for smokers, but also for anybody in their surroundings, for ecology, economy and for society. Similar sentiments also came from the assistant director of SIPH, Dr Milan Jovanović Batut, the director of the Office for Tobacco Prevention, and the director of Zepter, a company who sponsored the health Bazaar.
During the day more than 100 visitors checked their health parameters, including blood sugar, blood pressure levels, total body fat, and their blood oxygen levels. They were then given appropriate health advice by doctors and health technicians. Smokers had the opportunity to check their breath CO level on a smokerliser. Ten visitors also donated blood.
The day was more than a Health Expo. An afternoon seminar shared Current approaches in prevention and quitting smoking. More than 80 healthcare workers attended the Seminar, held in the modern congress hall of the city centre Zepter Hotel. In a short speech, Plavšić pointed out the important role of health workers in providing help for quitting smoking.
A special edition of ‘Life and Health’ magazine also attracted visitors especially as the magazine’s editor, Vlado Havran, and some other authors, where there to engage in discussion with the audience and attendees.
Organisers, participants and visitors alike, commented that CHANGE ATTITUDE– BE HEALTHY stressed the importance of prevention, education, and fostering healthy living habits in a very positive manner. It shared a positive message of both preventing people from starting to smoke through to helping those addicted, to quit. [tedNEWS]
tedNEWS Staff: Victor Hulbert, director; Esti Pujic, editor
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