World No-Tobacco Day today: Minister for imposing heavy tax on smoking

LAHORE:Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique said that the Prime Minister of Pakistan will be requested to impose a heavy tax on all types of smoking. He said that smoking is the worst conspiracy to destroy and mislead our young generation. As many as seven million people die every year due to smoking worldwide.

He expressed these views while addressing an awareness seminar organised by the NCD programme of the Department of Primary and Secondary Healthcare on ‘World No Tobacco Day’ at the Institute of Public Health (IPH) on Thursday.

MPAs Qasim Nadeem and Amna Hasan Sheikh, in-charge World Health Organisation Punjab Dr Jamshed, DG Health Services Dr. Ilyas Gondal, Additional Secretary Babar Awan, Dean IPH Prof. Zarfashan Tahir, Prof. Irfan Malik, CEO Tobacco and Director CDC Dr. Yadullah along with a large number of people participated in the seminar.

Khawaja Salman Rafique said sheesha or other forms of smoking are also very harmful to health. He said that spending two hours in a room filled with tobacco smoke is equivalent to smoking four cigarettes. Young generation should focus on their education and positive activities, he urged.

He said that polio has become a big problem for the whole world including Pakistan. He said that the health department is identifying black sheep and removing them from the province. Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Imran Nazir emphasised on removing the scourge of addiction from the society. This year the theme of ‘World No Tobacco Day’ has been introduced to protect the young generation from smoking. Awareness campaigns will be conducted in all hospitals on World No Tobacco Day, he added.

He further said that different types of smoking like sheesha and e-cigarettes are misleading the young generation. Smoking worth Rs347 billion is an injustice to the society, he said. Khawaja Imran Nazir said that we should not have double standard. The nation will never forgive those elements who destroy billions of rupees for the sake of their politics.

Nursing sector reforms under way

Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique attended an event organised on the occasion of World Nurses Day at a local hotel as a guest of honour. The DG Nursing Punjab and a large number of nurses from across the province also attended the event.

On the occasion, the minister said nursing is the backbone of the health system and we are introducing modern reforms to the sector. He said revamping of all nursing colleges is highly welcome and the government is trying to improve the nursing department.

The minister said health card would be launched in a better form and its limit is being enhanced from Rs1million. He said our nurses are making the country famous across the world. The minister said an FIR has been filed for the tragic incident in Sargodha.