Srinagar, July 04: The Jammu and Kashmir Medical Council has asked all the medical colleges across J&K to establish tobacco cessation centres (TCCs) as per the operational guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
Given the importance of tobacco cessation services in medical institutions and hospitals, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India has issued Operational Guidelines for Establishing Tobacco Cessation Centres in Medical Institutions.
An official of Directorate of Health Services Kashmir said the Jammu and Kashmir Medical Council in a communication asked all the medical colleges in the Union Territory to establish tobacco cessation centers.
It further said that tobacco use is a leading preventable cause of death and disease globally accounts for more than 8 million deaths annually.
In India alone, tobacco is responsible for nearly 1.3 million deaths annually. Tobacco use results in fatal consequences, including carcinomas, coronary artery disease and coronary obstructive lung disease.
According to the second Global Adult Tobacco Survey Report of 2016-17, tobacco use prevalence in Jammu and Kashmir among adults (15 years and above) is about 24 percent (39.7 percent of men, 6.2 percent of women).
The communication said as per the fourth Global Youth Tobacco Survey Report of 2019 prevalence of tobacco use among youths in Jammu and Kashmir (13-15 years) is more than 11 percent.
“In view of the above, all head of medical institutions and hospitals in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir are therefore, requested to establish a tobacco cessation centres as per the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India and also conduct the regular CME’s on the Cigarettes and other Tobacco products Act (COTPA-2003),”it said.
The communication has also mentioned the medical colleges should also upgrade the skills of students in accordance with the JK Medical Council Code of Medical Ethics (Professional Conduct, Etiquette & Ethics Regulation 2003).
As per details of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, GoI, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh UTs have only three TCC including one each at GH Gandhinagar Jammu, TCC District Hospital Budgam and TCC District Hospital Leh.
As per National Medical Commission guidelines, an Indian Medical Graduate should recognize “Health for All” as a national goal and the health right of all citizens.
They should undergo training to fulfill their social obligations towards realizing this goal and achieve competence in the practice of holistic medicine, encompassing promotive, preventive, curative, and rehabilitative aspects of common diseases.
The National Tobacco Control Programme calls for establishing Tobacco Cessation Centers in District Hospitals and provision for free pharmaco therapy and counselling services at these clinics. In addition, the counsellors appointed for AIDS control and TB control would provide tobacco cessation services at the primary level.
