Smokers encouraged to join Health Ministry's mQuit programme

IPOH, March 8 (Bernama) -- Smokers who wish to quit smoking are encouraged to get their smoking cessation councelling services through the ‘mQuit’ programme provided by the Health Ministry since 2012.

Deputy Health Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye said 143 smokers had registered for the free counselling services from January to the second week of February.

“A total of 12,400 smokers signed up for the mQuit programme between 2012 to 2017 and it has proven to be a complete success,” he told reporters after declaring the YMCA premises here a non-smoking area today.

He said that since 2015 to 2017 there has been an increase in the number of participants registering for the programme numbering up to 27,567 people and of the total 8,092 successfully quit smoking.

According to Dr Lee, the Ministry provides the services at 731 health clinics and 46 government hospitals nationwide.

“We are serious about this smoking habit because statistics show that 21 per cent adults and 11.7 per cent adolescents were still smoking, this is not an encouraging trend,” he said.

“In Ipoh, the facility is available at Greentown Health Clinic, Gunung Rapat and Jelapang,” he said, adding that those keen on the programme can visit the jomquit.moh.gov.my website.

Meanwhile, Dr Lee said the three-hectare YMCA premises with the management building, room accommodations, football field, tennis and badminton courts were declared as non-smoking areas effective today.

“This is a good move for YMCA, where we encourage premises that are not in the non-smoking area to declare a voluntary smoking ban,” he said.

-- BERNAMA