PRESS RELEASE
Tobacco/ Nicotine Use and Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), focus of discussion in Virtual National Conference on Tobacco or Health NCTOH
Today the opening session on Multilevel Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Tobacco Use Initiation in Mumbai and Kolkata, India by Healis Sekhsaria Institute for Public Health, Mumbai. The conference has been organised by Department of Community Medicine & School of Public Health, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in collaboration with Ministry of Health and FW, The Union against Tuberculosis and lung diseases and Strategic Institute for Public Health and Research (SIPHER). The session was chaired by Dr. Prakash C Gupta, Director, of the Healis-Sekhsaria Institute for Public Health (Healis), Navi Mumbai and Dr. Sonu Goel, Professor, Department of Community Medicine & School of Public Health, PGIMER, Chandigarh.
Expressing his concern over the rapid spread of coronavirus, Dr PC Gupta said, “Attribute that tobacco use contributes to the rapid spread and severity of new infectious like COVID-19 and new forms of influenza, and ensure persistence of chronic infectious diseases like tuberculosis, call for hastening tobacco control efforts and ending tobacco trade across the country by 2030.
He further emphasized that multi-sectoral integration, inter-agency coordination and wide-ranging partnerships remain central to phase out tobacco manufacturing and eventually its use by reforming and repurposing the tobacco sector, while actively countering the tobacco industry interference.
“As the world reels under the devastating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, several underlying causes have led to its spread and persistence and this pandemic is teaching us several lessons for the future. The pandemic has demonstrated that there is greater suffering, higher hospitalisation costs, widespread transmission and more deaths among those predisposed to certain non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Tobacco use remains a significant driver of NCDs, and affects every organ and system of the body,” said Dr Sonu Goel.
“Despite strong attempts by the Government of India and resolve of academicians, civil society organisations and media partners, the tobacco industry has not relented on making a product that enslaves youth to its addiction and kills 1.3 million adults every year in India. The prospering trade of tobacco and its products need to end. The pandemic is also teaching us to be better prepared for serious health problems by substantially increasing the investment and resources in public health
and the return on such investments would be several times over,” he added.
Later, the session on coronavirus and tobacco control was hosted by The South East Asia The Union. Various topics ranging from Tobacco/Nicotine use Smokeless tobacco control in India, tobacco cessation, Policy, Advocacy and Communication, Role of Communication Campaigns, to role of research institutions in developing evidence-based research to address the health pandemic were covered. Further, an oral presentation was the last technical session in which ten experts presented multi-dimensional topics under the MPOWER category in state and country. This was followed by an interesting quiz session and valedictory ceremony.
The ceremony started with the release of Project Report of India’s first E-Resource Centre for Tobacco Control (E-RCTC), an online portal which showcases an array of valuable and vital information related to tobacco control initiatives under various heads like Policies & Legislations, Circulars & Orders, National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP), Publication, IEC Material of various states of the country on one platform.
Dr. Rana J Singh, Deputy Regional Director (Tobacco & NCD Control), The Union (SEA), New Delhi said that we require a blueprint for how we will address the tobacco epidemic within a specified time-frame. In addition to effective enforcement of COTPA and implementation of NTCP, newer concepts of Tobacco Free Generation, Tobacco Vendor Licensing, raising the age of use to 21 and the whole of Government Approach to ensure multi-sectoral convergence are crucial to bring an endgame for tobacco.
“In current COVID times, it becomes all more important to address tobacco use which is considered a risk factor for spread and progression of not only COVID infection but other diseases like TB also. So, accelerated responses are urgently needed, we immediately need to cease all interaction with the tobacco industry and refuse any current and future collaborations with them and finally, as per theme of this conference, Multi-sectoral convergence, coordination and cooperation is crucial to achieve tobacco control targets as mandated under NCDs action plan,” he added.
Prof. Amarjeet Singh, Head, Department of Community Medicine & School of Public Health, PGIMER Chandigarh congratulated the team and said the department has been working with various states of India in Advancing tobacco Control at National Level.
The day ended with a thanksgiving note by the organising secretary Dr. Sonu Goel, Professor, Department of Community Medicine & School of Public Health, PGI Chandigarh.
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