Doctors urged to stub out killer habit

Health Minister Chen Zhu on Sunday urged health and medical workers to quit smoking and set a good example for people to follow.

"Medical workers and those who take the decisions regarding people's health should take the lead to quit smoking and completely ban indoor smoking to set a good example for their patients and others who look up to them," the minister said as he launched a campaign to discourage smoking among medical staff.

About 56.8 percent of male doctors in the country smoke. It is the highest rate in the world, according to the China Preventive Medicine Association (CPMA).