Dhaka: The National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh has expressed its approval of the recent directive from the Directorate General of Health Services, which mandates that all public and private hospitals and healthcare facilities become entirely tobacco-free. This initiative is seen as a crucial step towards enhancing public health.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the President of the National Heart Foundation, Professor Dr. Khandakar Abdul Awal Rizvi, highlighted that the Health Directorate’s directive applies to a wide range of institutions, including hospitals, medical and dental colleges, specialized hospitals, nursing colleges, and other healthcare facilities across the nation. The directive aims to establish a completely tobacco- and smoke-free environment for doctors, nurses, healthcare staff, patients, and visitors.
The directive was issued by Professor Dr. Syed Zakir Hossain, the Line Director of the Non-Communicable Disease Control (NCDC) program under the Directorate General of Health Services. The initiative seeks to eliminate the presence of tobacco in healthcare settings, which are intended to be places of healing. The presence of tobacco or smoking is a significant threat, as second-hand smoke is a risk factor for heart disease, cancer, respiratory issues, and other health complications.
To achieve tobacco-free status, healthcare centers are required to display visible tobacco-free signage at entrances and strategic locations. Additionally, hospitals are tasked with providing advice and support to staff, patients, and visitors to help them quit tobacco use.
According to WHO-SEARO (2018), tobacco use leads to 161,000 deaths annually in Bangladesh, with 21 percent of these deaths attributed to second-hand smoke. The National Heart Foundation anticipates that this initiative will transform healthcare facilities across Bangladesh into fully tobacco-free environments, signifying a substantial advancement in public health protection.