DC Zunheboto Peter Lichamo launched the campaign organised by District Tobacco Control Cell, Zunheboto in the presence of SP, Sumi Hoho, STH, GBs and ANPSA Zunheboto. (DIPR Photo)
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Zunheboto, August 2 (MExN): Zunheboto district under the initiative of National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) launched the Smoke-Free District Headquarter Campaign in the presence of President, Sumi Hoho, STH, Town GBs Association and various other public leaders at Deputy Commissioner’s residence on August 2.
Chairing the programme, District Nodal Officer NTCP, Zunheboto, Dr Easter Chophy Ngulie highlighted about the aims and objectives of the campaign. She mentioned that, according to a survey, nearly 10 lakhs of the populace are into tobacco habits out of 23 lakhs total population in Nagaland for which the campaign had to be initiated to protect the future generation. She also briefed about the hazardous health infections caused by passive smoking. Easter added that the campaign mainly aims to protect the non-smokers especially our children, a DIPR report stated.
ANPSA president, Zunheboto Unit, Tokavi Swu, expressed appreciation to Dr Easter and her team for initiating No Tobacco Campaign earlier at the district focusing on schools and other public places. He added that after organising no tobacco clubs at various schools, it has helped and have come a long way in curbing tobacco usage in the district and mainly among the younger generation, which is a positive sign, he added.
The main speaker of the programme, Deputy Commissioner Zunheboto, Peter Lichamo, spoke about the disastrous effects of passive smoking and said that the smokers have and is killing the non-smokers with the fatal addiction of smoking. He appealed to the gathering by saying that the public should work together sincerely in making the campaign a success. Smoking habits needs to be treated as an emergency situation, keeping in mind the ill effects to our health in general, he added.
Wokha: The district level quarterly coordination committee and district level enforcement squad, NTCP of the District Tobacco Control Cell meeting was held on August 2.
During the meeting, a DIPR report stated that it deliberated on declaration of Smoke Free District Headquarters Campaign and the same was launched and agreed after discussing the guidelines and action plan. During the meeting four schools and one college were declared tobacco free educational institutes, namely Pinewood School, Government Middle School (Sector-C), Government Middle School (Sector-D), Santsuo Memorial School and Bailey Baptist College, Wokha.
DC & Chairman DLCC, Wokha, Orenthung Lotha who chaired the meeting, appealed all concerned to give concentrated effort and work together in order to bring down the percentage of tobacco use in the district. He also urged the schools to be ambassador of change in spreading awareness about the ill effect of using tobacco.
During the meeting, the following notifications under Section 21, 24 and 25 of the cigarettes and other Tobacco products Acts 2003 and for strict implementation of Section 4 and 6 of COTPA 2003, for putting up of appropriate signage’s like “No Smoking Area Smoking here is an offence” to be displayed in public places, educational institutions and “Sale of tobacco products to a person below the age of 18 years is a punishable offence” and “prohibition of sale of tobacco products in an area within a radius of 100 meters of educational institution” to be displayed by shopkeepers/vendors for immediate implementation was decided, where the DC appealed all concerned authorities to abide and follow instructions and asked to submit action taken report.
District Nodal Officer, NTCP, Wokha, Dr O Daisy Ovung, while briefly presenting the quarterly report, said NTCP Wokha has been actively involved in doing awareness campaign by distributing IECs in various locations and providing counselling to patients who uses tobacco at the district hospital, also doing multiple sessions of focus group discussion with tobacco users, providing them with counselling and nicotine replacement therapy support.
Dr Ovung also informed that some activities planned for this quarter, such as smoke-free awareness campaigns with various agencies and groups, continuing FGDs with tobacco users and quarterly enforcement of COTPA section 4 and 6 around Wokha town.
