Media persons in Diphu sensitised on tobacco control

Our Correspondent

Diphu, Oct. 12 (EMN):  The District Tobacco Control Cell (DTCC), Diphu organised a sensitisation meeting on tobacco control and Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003 at DIPRO office in Diphu on Wednesday.

The sensitisation was attended by media persons of Diphu town working in both print and electronic media houses and news portals.

District Nodal Officer, Tobacco Control Cell, Karbi Anglong, Gunavi Nath, said that the cases of oral cancer are very high in the Northeast while expressing concern on the high number of users of smoking and smokeless tobacco.

Nath said that as per the COTPA act, 2003, there is a prohibition on sale of tobacco products to and by minors (Section 6 (a), prohibition of sale of tobacco products within 100 yards of educational institutions (Section 6 (b), prohibition of tobacco advertising, promotion and programmes (Section 5), ban on sale by the vending machine, self service purchase, display of tobacco products and ban on free samples, gifts etc.

He said educational institutions should display ‘Tobacco free educational institution’ signage on the premises and a ‘Tobacco free area’ signage outside as well.

District Health Manager, of Assam Cancer Care Foundation (ACCF), Him Kumar Ghimire said there is a screening centre for screening of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) like hypertension, Diabetes and Cancer at Diphu Medical College and Hospital (DMC&H) while two senior oncology doctors and 12 beds for chemotherapy.

On the preventive side, the ACCF goes to the village level for creating awareness among the people on preventive measures for oral cancer. With the help of stakeholders like District Social Welfare and SHGs find cancer cases for treatment, Ghimire said.

He also said that breast cancer is increasing. Compared to oral cancer breast cancer has become higher and advised women to go for self-assessment to determine if there are any symptoms of breast cancer. 

October is observed as breast cancer month by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to create awareness of breast cancer, Ghimire said.