Delhi government official wins WHO award on tobacco control initiative

An official of the Delhi government's health department has been awarded the prestigious WHO World No Tobacco Day 2018 Award for his extraordinary contribution towards tobacco control. Additional Director of Health, SK Arora was presented the award by Henk Bekedam, WHO India Country Head at a gathering on August 16.

According to Global Adult Tobacco Survey-2 (GATS 2, 2016-17), the prevalence of tobacco use has reduced by 27 per cent in Delhi as compared to 17 per cent for the rest of India on an average. Similarly, current tobacco smokers in the city have reduced by 35 per cent as compared to 23 per cent for the rest of India on an average.

The Delhi government's health department has been fighting against direct advertisement for promoting tobacco brands and surrogate advertisement of tobacco products in the name of pan masala and other eatables such as elaichi (cardamon), for the past four years.

Tobacco prevalence in Delhi has come down by 6.5 per cent in the past six years, which is more than the rest of India's average figures. The current gutka users have also significantly reduced by 63 per cent as compared to the rest of India average figures of just 17 per cent. Even vis-a-vis cessation modalities, Delhi has performed much better than the rest of India.

TARGETS ACHEIVED

• The National Health Policy 2017 of the Government of India has set targets of relative reduction in tobacco prevalence by 15 per cent by 2020 and 30 per cent by 2025.
   
• Delhi has already achieved these targets.