As dna's week-long campaign on 'anti-spitting' comes to an end, NGOs and health experts have lauded the initiative and emphasised the need to have a strong anti-spitting law to save the city from infectious diseases. Instead of punishing people with fine for spitting, educating them is crucial, they say.
Nitai Mehta, managing trustee of NGO Praja Foundation said, "Spitting is a big behavioural problem which leads to health issues. However, I believe that bringing this change in the society is only possible by education."
Mehta, whose NGO has been constantly highlighting civic issues, said that penalising citizens won't help. "We cannot bring a long-term behavioural change in people by fining and antagonising them. We need education and that too at school level. We need to educate the masses with hoardings and proper campaigns on harmful effects of spitting."
Agreeing to Mehta, Devika Chadha, vice-president (operations), Salaam Bombay Foundation, said that education does play a crucial role but heavy fines will also act as deterrent factor. "We need to have awareness and heavy fines. We also need strong implementation once the state's anti-spitting bill in place. It shouldn't just be on paper."
Chadha further said that spitting and tobacco use has a close link and therefore the government also need to focus on a strong tobacco control program. "Recently in Chandrapur district, we managed to make a village – Thutra – smokeless and spit-less with meticulous planning and local support. Educating people on how spitting risks the life of their dear ones and others will help."
Experts say that anti-spitting bill will be a boon to immuno-compromised people. "Immuno compromised people like cancer patients are at high risk to contract infectious disease. Spitting is one factor that contributes to the spreading of diseases like TB," said Anita Peters, executive director, Cancer Patients Aid Association. Peters also emphasised the need to have spittoons strategically placed in the city like dustbins. "In abroad there are spittoons strategically placed. If you want effective implementation on anti-spitting, we have to give people alternative on where they can spit,"said Peters.
The most common harmful bacteria in a sputum culture are those that can cause bronchitis or pneumonia apart from the tuberculosis bacteria. According to doctors, the phlegm of an infected patient can spread airborne respiratory diseases such as TB, pneumonia and influenza (including swine flu).
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