Anti tobacco drive led by medical students held with the support of WHO

There are currently about 1.5 million adults suffering from tobacco-attributable illnesses in Bangladesh. With that in mind, the Standing Committee on Public Health (SCOPH) of the Bangladesh Medical Students' Society (BMSS), with the support of the World Health Organisation (WHO), organised the biggest medical student-led Anti Tobacco Drive in Asia, which consisted of a day-long master trainer program for medical students titled 'Youth Vs. Tobacco was held at the seminar room of the Permanent Campus of the State University of Bangladesh. 

It was held on 17 March 2023 on the auspicious day of the 101st Birth Anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Two hundred fifty medical students from twenty medical colleges nationwide, including government and private medical colleges, participated in the training program, completing phase 1 of the grand event.

The training program consisted of three sessions on tobacco control, laws and smoking cessation, along with a medical college-based idea presentation and a short film competition. The program served as a platform to create more dialogues involving youth, the largest consumer of tobacco and making skilled medical professionals who will motivate and strategically work towards smoking cessation of their patients. 

Through inter-sectoral collaborations, practical and innovative Anti Tobacco Campaigns such as the likes of 'Youth Vs Tobacco,' well-aware health professionals conducting smoking cessation treatments and availability of medications at all hospitals and primary healthcare facilities will curb the health burden, aiding non-communicable diseases due to Tobacco.

As discussants, Nilufer Nazneen Eva, Additional Secretary, Health Service Division, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; Prof. M Mostafa Zaman, Adviser, Research and Publication, WHO; Prof. Dr Nawzia Yasmin, Vice Chancellor (In-charge), State University of Bangladesh; Dr Abu Jamil Faisel, President-Elect Public Health Association of Bangladesh & Public Health Expert Advisor, DGHS MOHFW; Dr Sadhna Bhagwat, Team Lead, Non-Communicable Diseases, WHO; Dr Syed Mahfuzul Huq, National Professional Officer, Non-Communicable Diseases, WHO; Dr Asm Ishtiak, National Consultant, Non-Communicable Diseases, WHO; Dr Farzana Akter Dorin, National Professional Officer, prevention of non-communicable disease, WHO; Dr Myesha Maliha Binte Mamun, President Bangladesh Medical Students' Society was present at the training. 

Prof. M. Mostafa Zaman, in his motivating speech, said, "You don't need training in these methods, but if you are courageous enough, you can quit smoking."

Following the day-long intensive training, master trainers from April 1 to April 16 conducted phase 2 of the Anti Tobacco Drive. Nine medical colleges, namely Dhaka Medical College, Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College, Shaheed Tajuddin Medical College, Sheikh Hasina Jamalpur Medical College, Chandpur Medical College, Colonel Malek Medical College, Holy Family Red Crescent Medical College, Green Life Medical College, United Medical College, participated in the execution of phase 2. 

The medical students had meetings with their principals to enforce the ban on tobacco, and the honourable principals of the respective medical colleges widely appreciated the initiative. 

The medical students reached the community by counselling patients in one-on-one conversations in hospital wards and also holding peer-to-peer group discussions to motivate medical professionals to commit to achieving the prime minister's 2040 vision of making Bangladesh tobacco-free. 

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