On the morning of December 6, at the Conference reporting the results of tobacco harm prevention activities in 2024 and planning orientation for 2025 organized by the Ministry of Health, Dr. CKII Vo Hung Vien, Director of Binh Son District Medical Center (Quang Ngai province) shared outstanding results in tobacco harm prevention work in 2024 and proposed specific goals and activities in 2025.
Dr. Vo Hung Vien said that the Steering Committee for Tobacco Harm Prevention in Binh Son District was established in 2020 under difficult conditions. As of October 2024, the District Medical Center had provided smoking cessation counseling to nearly 2,000 people.
In 2024, 570 people successfully quit smoking, including: 122 people who maintained abstinence for more than 12 months, 156 people who maintained abstinence from 6 months to less than 12 months, and 138 people who maintained from 1 month to less than 6 months.
However, Dr. Vien frankly pointed out that the success rate is not high. He said that the reason comes from many factors: withdrawal syndrome makes patients uncomfortable, not following instructions; the team of counselors has many jobs so they cannot support in time. In particular, the source of addiction treatment drugs is not diverse and patients have to buy products on the market, mainly lozenges, lacking other types of support.
“The source of treatment drugs is not yet available, causing great difficulties for local drug addicts,” Dr. Vien emphasized.
To improve the effectiveness of smoking cessation work, Dr. Vien recommends strengthening the synchronous direction from departments and branches in implementing the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms.
In addition, include smoking cessation drugs in the health insurance payment list, creating conditions for people to access.
The representative of the Medical Center also requested the Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund and Bach Mai Hospital to continue providing financial and professional support to maintain the operation of the local tobacco cessation counseling room.
Regarding the New Rural Development (NRD) program in Quang Ngai province, the 2024 plan has been adjusted after the Central Government announced a change in targets for the 2021-2025 period.
Initially, Quang Ngai province set a target of bringing Binh Son district and Duc Pho town to meet NTM standards, along with 6 communes meeting NTM standards and 10 communes meeting advanced NTM standards. However, after adjustment: Binh Son district is the only locality striving to meet NTM standards (reducing Duc Pho town); reducing the target of communes meeting advanced NTM standards from 10 to 9 communes.
As of December 2024, Binh Son district has only completed 2/9 criteria (irrigation and disaster prevention; electricity); the remaining 7/9, currently the assigned departments and units are reviewing and establishing supporting documents according to regulations.
