Delhi govt health-official wins WHO award on tobacco control initiative
Delhi government's Additional Director of Health, SK Arora, has been awarded the WHO World No Tobacco Day 2017 Award for his extraordinary contribution towards tobacco control. He was presented the award by Henk Bekedam, WHO India Head, at a gathering on Thursday. Tobacco prevalence in Delhi has reduced by 6.5% in the past six years, which is more than the rest of India.
Delhi has already achieved future targets of reducing tobacco prevalence
The National Health Policy 2017 of the Government of India has set targets of a relative reduction in tobacco prevalence by 15% by 2020 and 30% by 2025. Delhi has already achieved these targets before 2017, Arora said.
Number of tobacco, gutkha smokers have also reduced in Delhi
According to Global Adult Tobacco Survey-2 (2016-17), the prevalence of tobacco use has reduced by 27% in Delhi as compared to 17% for the rest of India average. Similarly, current tobacco smokers in Delhi have reduced by 35% as compared to 23% for the rest of India. Gutkha users have also reduced by 63% as compared to 17% for the rest of India.
Delhi Health Department has been fighting against tobacco promotion
For cessation modalities also, Delhi has performed much better than the rest of the country's average figures. The Delhi government's health department has been fighting against the direct advertisement of brand promotion of tobacco and surrogate advertisement of tobaccos in the name of pan masala and other eatables such as tea and elaichi (cardamom) for the past four years.
Arora has requested CBSE to sensitize students, parents about tobacco
"I have written to CBSE and NCERT for last few years to create a chapter in schools curriculum from Classes 6 to 12 to sensitize students, teachers and parents in one go to tackle the menace of tobaccos in the country," Arora said. "We also got the 1st International Vape expo event on e-cigarette in India canceled," he said.
