Under the patronage of Dr. Ahmed El-Minshawy, President of Assiut University, the Faculty of Medicine organized on Sunday, February 23, the fourth community environmental day entitled "Smoke-Free Medical Faculty" under the slogan "Our Country. Under the supervision of Dr. Mahmoud Abdel Aleem, Vice President for Community Service and Environmental Development, Dr. Alaa Attia, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Chairman of the Board of Directors of University Hospitals, Dr. Hoda Makhlouf, Vice Dean for Community Service and Environmental Development, and Dr. Atef Al-Qarn, Professor of Chest and rapporteur of the day.

The environmental day was attended by Dr. Safaa Mokhtar, Head of the Department of Chest  Diseases, Dr. Ekram Abdel Khalek, Head of the Department of Public Health, Dr. Mahmoud Attia, Professor of Public Health and Supervisor of the Anti-Smoking Unit, and Dr. Aya Atef Al-Qorn, Lecture  of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at the Department of Public Health, in addition to the participation of college administrators and employees.

Dr. Ahmed El-Minshawy emphasized the importance of the Fourth Community Environmental Day, which highlights a health issue that greatly affects society and public health, as smoking is one of the main causes of chronic diseases such as heart and lung diseases and cancer, in addition to its negative impact on the health of individuals and society in general. He pointed out the need to raise awareness of the dangers of smoking and encourage young people to adopt a healthy lifestyle free from this harmful habit, pointing out the importance of exchanging ideas and visions between experts and doctors on how to reduce smoking rates through education and awareness, as well as the role of educational institutions in promoting public health concepts and preventive behaviors.

For his part, Dr. Mahmoud Abdel Aleem praised the role of the Faculty of Medicine and its important position in the field of community service and environmental development, which is reflected in its scientific and awareness activity through holding many seminars and workshops in the fields of health, education and scientific research. He pointed out that the health service in various medical institutions is based on awareness, prevention, early detection and treatment.

Dr. Hoda Makhlouf pointed out that the environmental day discusses a set of important themes with the participation of a group of specialized professors on: Smoking, the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, the World Health Organization's Convention on Tobacco Control, as well as the harms of smoking and its new types, methods of prevention, and how to quit smoking.

For her part, Dr. Safaa Mokhtar noted that the Chest Department will witness the opening of a "Smoking Cessation" clinic in the coming months, with the aim of helping patients who smoke to quit smoking, preserve their health, and stay away from everything that harms it.

Dr. Ekram Abdel Khalek added that smoking is a behavior that destroys health and causes many chronic diseases such as cancer, heart and lung diseases, explaining that awareness of its harms has a major role in reducing the demand for it, because it is one of the most dangerous scourges that threaten humans and their health.

Dr. Atef Al-Qarn pointed out that the environmental day came up with a number of recommendations, the most important of which are: Holding similar seminars in conjunction with the environment sector in different faculties of the university, hanging "no smoking" banners around the college, activating the slogan of the environmental day "A Smoke-Free Faculty of Medicine”, to raise awareness, applying fines and legal accountability, and activating the Smoking Cessation Unit at the Faculty of Medicine to enhance awareness and behavioral assistance.