The World Health Organization (WHO) awarded Rajasthan government’s Medical & Health Department its Tobacco Control Award for year 2019 in recognition.
Rohit Kumar Singh, Additional Chief Secretary, Medical, Health & Family Welfare, Government of Rajasthan received the award at the National Consultation on Tobacco & Lung Health on 31st May 2019 in New Delhi
The award was conferred by World Health Organization on occasion of World No Tobacco Day which was celebrated on 31st May, 2019 in New Delhi.
Henk Bekedam, the WHO representative to India, earlier informed that the Rajasthan department is one of the two from India, in the South-east Asian region, selected for the ‘World No Tobacco Day Award for 2019’.
Health minister Raghu Sharma has congratulated the state tobacco control unit in-charge Dr SN Dholpuria and other employees of the department for the achievement. “Large number of youngsters gets lured to tobacco. The more work done in the field of tobacco control, more youth can be saved from tobacco use,” he said.
He said the WHO has selected 33 institutions and individuals across the world for the award. In South-east Asian region, two have been selected from India, of which one is the Rajasthan government and the other is Prof Raj Kumar, director, Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, New Delhi.
Highlighting the facts further, Sharma said that on January 30, 2019, on Sarvodaya Day, 11300,098 people were made aware about the ill-effects of tobacco and administered antitobacco oath at 1.56 lakh institutions including anganwari centres, schools, colleges, government offices and police stations.
Adding further, Sharma stated that the health department in coordination with some other departments has developed educational institutions, health facilities and Anganwari Centres as tobacco-free premises and have ensured that no tobacco product is sold within 100 yards of these places.
In 2018, the department had issued an official notice on 23,800 people for smoking in public places under the COTPA.
Like
Dislike
Be a part of Elets Collaborative Initiatives. Join Us for Upcoming Events and explore business opportunities. Like us on Facebook , connect with us on LinkedIn and follow us on Twitter , Instagram.
