TACLOBAN CITY (CIO) — For its exemplary performance in sustaining a “100 smoke-free environment,” the Tacloban City Hospital (TCH) was awarded the 2019 Red Orchid Hall of Fame Award by the Department of Health (DOH) in Eastern Visayas.

For the third consecutive time, the Level 1 Hospital operated by the City Government through the leadership of Mayor Alfred S. Romualdez received the award annually given to smoke-free compliant national government agencies, local government units (LGUs), and government hospitals nationwide.

TCH Chief of Hospital Doctor Joedina B. Gumagay said that the health facility strictly maintains a 100% smoke-free environment policy not only among its employees but the hospital’s clientele as well.

“We strictly enforce the policy on our employees, patients, and their wards, this is the reason why we consistently got the award,” the official said in an interview.

At first, the imposition of the guidelines was met with a setback, she added, but little by little the policy was accepted by hospital workers and clients and it is now one of its “Best Practices.”

The 100-bed capacity City Hospital also has a Smoking Cessation Clinic which provides ongoing support to patients who are attempting to quit smoking.

Meanwhile, the consistent anti-smoking advocacy campaign of the hospital has also encouraged the barangay where it is located to craft a resolution prohibiting the selling and advertising of tobacco products within 100 meters of the hospital’s immediate vicinity.

The Red Orchid Award is based on the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) “MPOWER”. “MPOWER” is an acronym which stands for the six proven tobacco control policies, specifically; M for monitor tobacco use and prevention policies, P for protect people from the effects of smoking, O for offer help to quit tobacco use, W for warn against the dangers of tobacco, E for enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship; and R for raise taxes on tobacco.

According to WHO, every year, almost six million people die from the harmful effects of tobacco use worldwide. – H. J. Roca/CIO

Photos: J. Gumagay/City Hospital

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