In response to Minister of Health Stevenson Kuartei’s proposal to make MOH a chew-free zone by next year, Acting Chief of Nursing Services Joaquina Kina Ulenghong has put out a memo on Tuesday directing every nurse on duty to stop chewing betel nut in the work place.
“Chewing (betel nut) is part of our culture,” said Ulenghong. “It’s hard for people to stop chewing right away, so the Minister wants to do it slowly.” Ulenghong said the Minister asked that doctors and nurses take the lead in prohibiting betel nut chewing at the work place.
“Eventually, everybody will follow. So as he proposed, by January next year, the MOH will be totally chew-free,” Ulenghong said.
There are 114 nurses in the hospital, so Ulenghong said, as the biggest work force in the Ministry, they need to teach what they preach. “If you preach and keep on chewing, our message will not get through,” she added.
Although there were no violent reactions from the nurses, and everybody is being cooperative, Ulenghong knows that quitting cold turkey is not an option for them.
“It’s a struggle for all of us because of the addiction to tobacco,” Ulenghong said. “It’s a big challenge for all of us who have been chewing for years. At the same time, it’s a challenge that will benefit all of us.”
Ulenghong is hopeful that eventually, people will get used to not chewing in the work place. “So far, since we started, the nurses are compliant. We just need to wane ourselves slowly.”
Ulenghong added that they are serious about making it happen. Nurses who will be caught chewing betel nut in the work place will undergo a disciplinary action. “It is considered insubordination,” said Ulenghong. “They can be suspended.”
At present, the sale of chewing gum in the vicinity has been really good. Chewing gum helps especially when they experience withdrawal syndromes from nicotine. “We get restless, we have mood swings, just like any other withdrawal from cigarette smoking,” Ulenghong explained.
The nurses, however, are positive that Minister Kuartei’s vision to make MOH a chew-free zone can be done.
“It’s not the first time that we did it at MOH,” Ulenghong said.
“During Minister Sandra Pierantozzi’s time, there was also no chewing at MOH,” she added.
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