Health Ministry to expedite tobacco control measures

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Ashwini Kumar Choubey on June 6, 2018, inaugurated the two-day National Consultation on Accelerating Implementation of Tobacco Control Measures for achievement of Goals under National Health Policy, 2017, in the presence of Anupriya Patel, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, to commemorate the World No Tobacco Day, 2018.

Anupriya Patel, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Preeti Sudan, Secretary (Health), Sanjeeva Kumar, Additional Secretary, andPromila Gupta, DGHS, Ms Payden, Acting Deputy WHO representative to India, were also present on the occasion.

Addressing the participants, Choubey said that we should have an addiction-free India that includes Tobacco-free India. He made stressed on a “Nasha Mukti Abhiyaan.” He further added that we need community mobilisation to encourage people to give up tobacco consumption. “Tobacco destroys families and communities. We need to start a nationwide abhiyaan- people’s movement, to combat tobacco use,” Choubey said.

Choubey also made a strong call for accelerating tobacco control measures for achievement of the goals under National Health Policy, 2017. He observed that tobacco use is a leading cause of premature NCD-associated mortality and morbidity and a growing public health challenge. He said that while many people are aware that tobacco use increases the risk of cancer, there are alarming gaps in knowledge of the cardiovascular risks of tobacco use. “I look forward to the suggestions that will emerge from the two-day national consultation, to help us move forward in tobacco control measures,” Choubey elaborated.

Anupriya Patel said that tobacco epidemic is a major public health challenge in India and flavored smokeless tobacco usage in India is very high. She stated that concerted strong political commitment and targeted action over the last decade have contributed to commendable achievements in pushing back the tobacco epidemic, according to a PIB release.

Highlighting the initiatives of the Health Ministry, Anupriya Patel said that a toll free Tobacco Cessation Quitline has been set up and m-Cessation services under the ‘Be Healthy Be Mobile’ initiative has been launched along with the Helpline for reporting specific violations of tobacco control laws. “ The inclusion of National tobacco Quitline number in the health warning recently will give tobacco users access to counseling services to effect behavior change,” she added. She noted that we need to be alert to the threat of new and emerging products and to act swiftly and firmly against them.

The Ministers of State released the Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2 India Report 2016-17 and guidelines for establishing tobacco cessation centres in dental colleges at the consultation and felicitated tobacco workers who have transitioned to other livelihood options. Tobacco survivors presented first-hand account of their struggles and their efforts to overcome the challenges.

The two-day consultation will focus on capacity-building of the National Tobacco Control Progamme Nodal Officers. Tobacco is responsible for 4.5 lakh CardioVascular Diseases (CVD) deaths in the country.