Philippines: Local Media Attend Seminar on Smoking

Source from:  Sun Star  10/29/2013

MEMBERS of the local media attended on Monday a seminar on smoking and health and nutritional guidelines conducted by the Department of Health (DOH) in Zamboanga City.

DOH regional information officer Teresita Dela Cruz said the seminar, dubbed as Health Issues 101: Smoking and Health and 2013 Nutritional Guidelines, is aimed to equip the media practitioners with the knowledge on the ill effects of smoking to the health of a person.

"This (seminar) is for the media practitioners of Zamboanga City for them to be able to report correctly any issues related to smoking and health," Dela Cruz said.

Dela said they are also tapping the assistance of the media to be able to pass on accurate and faster information to the people, citing that the agency cannot do it alone.

"We need partners like the media to help us in disseminating the correct information related to smoking and health," Dela Cruz added.

The topics that were discussed during the seminar were: The tobacco epidemic; dangers of tobacco and smoke; and, 2013 nutritional guidelines.

Dela Cruz said they are focusing on smoking and health since many of the people seem to disregard the ill effects of smoking.

She said the people are also not aware that second hand smoke could affect their health.

Nutrition was integrated because they believe that it is equally important to the health of the people, she added.

Dela Cruz said there is an urgent need for the residents to know the guidelines related to nutrition because the region has high malnutrition rate among children. Enditem