Dubai: Five-year-old Satvik Vashisht, who took upon himself the task of creating awareness among smokers about health benefits of quitting, has been honoured by the Public Health and Safety Department of Dubai Municipality for his efforts.
Vashisht, who was featured by Gulf News when he started the campaign last year, reached out to more than 500 smokers in several areas including Lamcy Plaza, near the Creek, the Global Village and Meena Bazaar.
He was honoured by Redha Salman, Director of the Public Health and Safety Department.
Hafid Gulum, Head of the Health Monitoring Section, said the initiative reflected the department's keenness to encourage such noble activities among the community and in consideration of the importance of the campaign theme.
Enthusiastic
"I like good people and clean places, smoking is very bad, people should not do it," said Satvik. "I want to be part of any awareness campaigns as people are ready to hear me," he said during his meeting with municipality officials.
"He is quite motivated with the encouragement of the Public Health and Safety Department and is very enthusiastically asking for another campaign to start with," said Satvik's father.
The leaflets distributed by the senior kindergarten student explain how the decision to quit may seem difficult, but health benefits come quickly when one stops smoking. Satvik told smokers how energy levels increase within 72 hours of quitting, while in three to nine months coughs, wheezing and other breathing problems ease.
On the reason for starting the campaign, Sandeep Vashisht, his father, said: "He was very curious to know why people around him smoked which is when we thought it was important to tell him about the harm that smoking can cause."
