‘Departments should work in unison to check tobacco use’- Dr Rana J Singh

A Correspondent

SHILLONG: Dr Rana J Singh of International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) said that in Meghalaya there are 12 lakh adults (those above 15 years) who use some form of tobacco.

Dr Singh called for a need to establish institutional framework for tobacco control and urged upon all stakeholders to own up the responsibility to control tobacco use and its inherent ill effects.

He made these observations during a State level orientation-cum-sensitization programme on National Tobacco Control Programme which was held here on Wednesday.

Addressing the gathering during the inaugural session, Secretary, Health & Family Welfare, Pravin Bakshi said that the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP), though it is started late in the State of Meghalaya, has undertaken a lot of initiatives to make the vulnerable sections aware of the ill effects of tobacco.

Bakshi however stated that the implementation of these initiatives under NTCP can be achieved through mass campaigns when all stakeholders and different government departments like Health, Education, Police, Labour, Excise Registration Taxation Stamps and other departments come together.

He also observed that tobacco users are also very high in the rural areas of the State therefore the anti-tobacco message has to infiltrate even the rural areas. He added that enforcement has to go hand in hand with the awareness of tobacco control.

The National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) started in the year 2007-08 during the 11th Five-Year-Plan with the aim to create awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco consumption, reduce the production and supply of tobacco products, ensure effective implementation of the provisions under “The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003” (COTPA), help the people quit tobacco use, and facilitate implementation of strategies for prevention and control of tobacco advocated by WHO Framework Convention of Tobacco Control.

NTCP is implemented through a three-tier structure – National Tobacco Control Cell (NTCC) at the Central level, State Tobacco Control Cell (STCC) at State level and District Tobacco Control Cell (DTCC) at district level. There is also a provision of setting up Tobacco Cessation Services at the district level.

In Meghalaya, NTCP will be targeting four districts namely, East Khasi Hills, West Jaintia Hills, Ri Bhoi District and West Garo Hills.

Also read: Meghalaya news