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| The Health Promotion Board runs the Ramadan I Quit smoking cessation campaign every Ramadhan as fasting already excludes smoking during the day, making it an incremental effort to stop altogether. Ads typically appear at Paya Lebar station, the nearest MRT station to the Geylang Serai Ramadhan bazaar. |
The Singapore Health Promotion Board has launched the annual Ramadan I Quit smoking cessation programme for 2018.
Leveraging on the need for abstinence from smoking during daylight hours by people fasting over Ramadhan, HPB developed the Ramadan I Quit 28-Day Countdown programme. HPB will have I Quit roadshows during Ramadhan at festive bazaars in Geylang Serai and Woodlands to encourage smokers to quit.
Smokers who sign up for Ramadan I Quit 28-Day Countdown 2018 will kickstart a 28-day countdown process at the beginning of Ramadhan (May 17, 2018). The I Quit 28-Day Countdown challenges smokers to remain smoke-free for 28 days so that they are five times more likely to quit the habit for good. By quitting together, smokers will have the support of one another as well as from Quit consultants to aid them through their quit journey.
Participants who register for the programme at I Quit roadshows will undergo a smokerlyser test to measure the level of carbon monoxide in their lungs and receive free smoking cessation counselling by Quit consultants.
Smoking prevalence is highest within the Malay community at 25.3%, compared to Chinese (11.6%) and Indian (10.5%) communities*. In 2016, there were over 4,000 sign-ups for the Ramadan I Quit 28-Day Countdown, a 150% increase from 2015, where there were 1,800 participants. Sixteen percent of participants successfully quit smoking after 28 days.
Working closely with mosques and Malay Muslim organisations, such as MENDAKI, Jamiyah, Muhammadiyah and An-Nandhah Mosque, HPB has brought healthy lifestyle programmes, which include health advocacy workshops, healthy cooking demonstrations, community physical activity programmes and health screening sessions closer to the community.
In 2016, HPB scaled up its outreach efforts and expanded its partnership to include Malay Activity Executive Committees (MAECs). Through the partnership with various community partners, diabetes prevention programmes have been included in community-led initiatives, such as Community Led – Fight Against Diabetes @ East Coast For Malay Community by Siglap Constituency, Health Fiesta by Marsiling MAEC, Sengkang West Health Fiesta by Anchorvale Community Club’s Malay & Indian Executive Committees and the Mini Health Carnival for the Malay community by Keat Hong Constituency and Al-Khair Mosque. HPB also collaborated with the MAEC from Geylang Serai Constituency to conduct physical activity programmes for the Malay community.
As a result HPB doubled the number of Malay participants taking part in its programmes, reaching out to more than 9,000 in the community in 2016, up from 4,500 in 2015.
As a result HPB doubled the number of Malay participants taking part in its programmes, reaching out to more than 9,000 in the community in 2016, up from 4,500 in 2015.
All six full-time madrasahs, Al-Ma’arif Al-Islamiah, Al-Arabiah Al-Islamiah, Aljunied Al-Arabiah, Alsagoff Al-Arabiah, Irsyad Zuhri Al-Islamiah and Wak Tanjong Al-Islamiah have been promoting healthy living since 2015. Participating madrasahs have incorporated HPB’s educational talks, workshops and resources into their curriculum to engage their students on healthy living matters, such as healthy eating, physical activity and mental wellness. HPB also delivers capacity-building training and support to equip madrasah educators on health matters and related issues pertaining to youth health.
In 2016, a total of over 2,500 madrasah students benefitted from this initiative, an increase from 1,800 in 2015.
Details:
Join the I Quit programme online
*National Health Surveillance Survey 2013