Kolkata, As per GATS
(Global Adult Tobacco Survey) 2010, a household survey
of persons 15 years or older conducted by the International Institute for
Population Sciences (IIPS), under the coordination of the Ministry of Health
and Family Welfare (MoHFW), nearly 2.4 crore people of West Bengal (36.3% of adult population) consume
tobacco in some form. This alarming figure needs urgent action as it is leading to an
enormous healthcare burden. It is estimated that 1.4
crore people in West Bengal may die an untimely death due to serious illnesses
such as cancers, heart diseases, respiratory diseases, tuberculosis etc.
Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, Howrah and Sambandh Health Foundation
have stepped forward to support the ‘Voice of Tobacco Victims’ campaign and have
taken the pledge to save children of West Bengal from becoming tobacco
consumers. As part of the awareness campaign, doctors from Narayana Superspeciality
Hospital will be meeting politicians, bureaucrats, social and religious leaders
to convey the plight of tobacco victims and their families and obtain the
leaders support for tobacco control measures.
Dr Rakesh Verma, Facility Director, Narayana Superspeciality
Hospital, Howrah said, “The economic costs attributable to diseases caused by
tobacco use in West Bengal amounted to Rs. 3440 crores in the year 2011 as per
GATS. Of this amount 56% was direct medical costs and 44% was indirect
morbidity costs. The economic cost for four specific diseases (cardiovascular
disease, cancer, tuberculosis and respiratory disease) amounted to Rs. 1332 crores.
This data calls for prioritization of tobacco control for larger population
level benefits in West Bengal. We strongly urge all the political parties to
include tobacco control in their election manifesto and save lives of people of
West Bengal. We need to act now to save lives”
Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, VoTV patron & Head &
Neck Surgeon, TMH (Mumbai) said, “We see huge number of cancer
patients from Kolkata and majority of them are tobacco users. Most of these
patients come in advanced stages and they die within one year. It is sad that
the tobacco use still remains unabated.”
Sanjay Seth, Chief of
Operations, Sambandh Health Foundation said, “Tobacco
is a health issue but the basic ingredient to overcome the tobacco epidemic is
political will. We urge all political parties to commit their support for
tobacco control. We have initiated this campaign in other states like Delhi,
Rajasthan, Harayana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Assam and Maharashtra and
have been successful with our mission. We hope we will be able to create awareness
and implement the laws in Bengal as well.”
India has a tobacco
control law – COTPA (The Cigarettes
and Other Tobacco Products Act), which has provisions to ensure tobacco
free Education Institutions. Section 4
of COTPA bans smoking in public places, including Educational
Institutions while section 6 prohibits the sale of tobacco to/by minors and
also prohibits the sale of tobacco within 100 yards of educational
institutions. The campaign will attempt to get
tobacco control laws implemented and get all educational institutions tobacco
free in West Bengal.
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