Passers-by in Great Siege Square, Valletta, could pick up and snack on a free apple yesterday morning but they would have had to deposit one of their cigarettes in exchange.

It would appear that either the crunchy fruits were not so enticing or the addiction to smoking was too hard to give up, given that the plastic cups containing the cigarettes were not brimming.

Maybe if the smokers availed themselves of the test to measure the carbon monoxide in their lungs and determine the damage the cigarettes had caused they would have felt compelled to munch an apple instead.

The anti-tobacco initiative was part of an event organised by the Malta Medical Students Association, aimed at gathering a variety of public health campaigns under one roof. It also focused on raising awareness on anything from eating disorders to sexually-transmitted diseases, patients' rights in hospital and mental health as well as other ailments.

The passers-by could also measure their Body Mass Index and pick up recipes for healthy eating while children could pay a visit to the Teddy Bear Hospital to dispel their fear of doctors. The initiative was also taken into schools, where children got to bandage their teddies and take their temperature, said association president Francesca Theuma.

Children could also play games that involved choosing pictures with the healthiest options and sticking them onto a chart.

Medical students in their lab coats offered advice to the man in the street but Ms Theuma said STIs were the issue most were reluctant to enquire about, being still a taboo and causing embarrassment.

She said the plan was to introduce interactive games next year to get people familiar with the terms used in sexual health.

It was the second year the association organised the Health Fest, which it intended to establish as an annual event. This year, donations were collected in aid of the Malta Hospice Movement.