WHO Awards India For Fall In Tobacco Consumption

The World Health Organization has awarded India for its efforts to reduce the tobacco prevalence in the country.
 

India is the only winner to receive the highly prestigious WHO 'World NO Tobacco Day 2018 Award' from Southeast Asia region among 11 countries. Now, the central government has set a target of relative reduction in tobacco prevalence by 15 per cent by 2020 and 30 per cent by 2025.
 

The WHO's Global Adult Tobacco Survey( 2016-17) factsheets data shows that the prevalence of tobacco use has reduced by 27 per cent in Delhi as compared to 17 per cent for rest of India average.
 

Dr SK Arora, additional director, health, Delhi government, who contributed his efforts to reduce the prevalence of tobacco use in the country received the award from India, said, "I have been working hard and successfully brought down tobacco prevalence in Delhi by 6.5 per cent in last six years which is more than the rest of India average figures. I have been writing to CBSE and NCERT for last 
 

few years to create a chapter in schools curriculum from classes 6 to 12 to sensitise students, teachers and parents to tackle the menace of tobaccos in the country," said Dr Arora. "We need to prioritise the control of tobacco and teach people about its ill effects to tackle this menace."
 

He also said: "We are fighting against direct advertisement of brand promotion of tobaccos and surrogate advertisement of tobaccos in the name of paan masalas, elaichi for last four years which includes writing letters to Bollywood and Hollywood and compliance notices to these celebrities and companies under section 5 of COTPA."