India: Tobacco Control Plan to Reach 13 Districts

Source from:  Times of India 09/30/2015

The National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) is set to be expanded to 13 districts as the Government steps up efforts to combat the menace that singularly accounts for all major diseases and health-related expenditure in the State.

The national programme, which has been rolled out in Khurda and Cuttack and soon to be done in Balangir, Koraput and Malkangiri, will include Nabarangpur, Nuapada, Gajapati, Kendrapara, Mayurbhanj, Puri, Kalahandi and Sundargarh by March next year.

The programme interventions entail establishment of　tobacco cessation centres at district headquarters hospitals (DHHs) for not only motivating tobacco users to quit but also providing therapeutic support to overcome their habit. District tobacco cells (DTCs) would also be set up for conducting intensified campaign at the community level for educating people on the effects of tobacco, which is the major cause of all serious diseases like cancer, cardiovascular ailments and diabetes.

Tobacco consultants would be appointed at the TCCs to support the doctors in cessation programmes while every DTC would have one social worker and psychologist/counsellor each to carry out educational activities. With preventing the younger generation from taking to tobacco habit a top priority, school programmes would be a key component of the DTC.

The cells would also undertake enforcement of COTPA law and gutkha ban in their respective districts. Every district will be provided with `21-25 lakh for the tobacco control activities.

"Social workers and psychologist/counsellors have been appointed in five districts that have been included in the first phase. The recruitment of tobacco consultants is in advanced stage and they will be in position within next few days. Information, education and communication (IEC) activities are already underway in Cuttack and Khurda. The rest three districts will also start work soon," State nodal officer Dr PKB Patnaik said.

Tobacco is a major problem in Odisha with nearly half of its population using it in any form or the other. More than 43 per cent are chewers. While around 35 per cent of women use tobacco, the age of initiation is estimated to be less than 15 years.

Resultantly, Odisha carries a heavy burden of cancer, with oral cancer accounting for more than 25 per cent of around 80,000 new cases detected every year.

"As per the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) report, over 60 per cent of people who want to quit do not have the support both psychological or therapeutic. The NTCP now focuses on helping quitters by continuously monitoring their status, counselling and providing medical remedies. Doctors at the peripheral level will be trained in tobacco cessation strategies and therapeutic procedures," Dr Patnaik said. Enditem