Review of PAD national plan with the representative of the Planning and Budget Organization
Mr. Amoozegar, health officer of the Planning and Budget Organization of Iran, visited IATA’s office in Varamin on November 13, 2019. In this meeting, Hamidreza Shahsavan, managing director of Tehran province’s branch of Iranian anti-tobacco association (IATA), and other IATA’s staff explained about the PAD (Prevention against Tobacco Dependence, Path to Tobacco Free City) program and its progress in Varamin.
After the presentation, Mr. Amoozgar stated that implementing this plan nationwide and full support of it can lead the society to health and jollification. He said that comprehensive collaboration between public and authorities for preventing tobacco consumption will guarantee public health; it’s not possible unless with national collaboration and coalition that can be expanded all over the country and fortunately we are seeing this in Varamin.
He added that from now on, the Planning and Budget Organization in line with the fight against tobacco consumption will support this program.
Hamidreza Shahsavan, said that the PAD program has been running in Varamin since 2016 and at the moment 5000 PAD-helper and 67 schools have joined to this program.
He explained that the PAD program is running as pilot in Varamin in different phases: school to house, house to the neighborhood, and neighborhood to the entire town. Right now the program is in the neighborhood phase, and soon it will be expanded to the entire town. Our intention is to introduce Varamin as a model for a free-tobacco city.
He stated that if the national, provincial and local authorities support the program, it is possible to reduce tobacco consumption significantly.
More in his visit to Varamin, Mr. Amoozegar had meetings with the head of sport and youth office, and also the head of the education office of this town. He also visited Shahid Rajaei School and while talking with PAD-helpers, observed the implementation of PAD program.
