Health Minister Memişoğlu announced in a post marking Public Health Week that efforts to combat addiction are continuing in line with the goal of building a healthy society.
Counseling at smoking cessation clinics
Counseling services were provided to 376,158 people at 1,678 smoking cessation clinics across the country. In addition, online clinic services were offered through the Centralized Doctor Appointment System at 383 centers in 81 provinces.
Tobacco Control Teams provided on-site counseling at 920 public institutions and informed 23,115 public employees.
ALO 171 and ALO 191 hotlines
More than 1.5 million people who wanted to quit smoking and tobacco use received free medication support. Follow-up and motivational support was provided to 628,378 people through the ALO 171 Smoking Cessation Counseling Hotline.
A total of 81,398 calls were answered through the ALO 191 Anti-Drug Counseling and Support Hotline, and 47,338 motivational calls were made.
Early awareness of behavioral addictions
The Health Ministry's statement said that the theme for the fourth day of Public Health Week was “Recognize it before you lose it.” It noted that uncontrolled and excessive use of behaviors such as internet and gaming, in addition to tobacco products, could negatively affect daily life and social relationships.
People were urged to seek health support when symptoms such as loss of control, disruption to daily life, withdrawal from social relationships or an inability to stop a behavior appear. Counseling and guidance services addressing the risks of behavioral addictions, particularly internet and gaming addiction, are provided by the Psychosocial Support Units of Healthy Life Centers.
