Nagaland Hospitals To Become Tobacco-free Zone From February
Friday, March 29, 2024
image
Editor's Pick

Nagaland hospitals to become tobacco-free zone from February

6135
By Reyivolü Rhakho Updated: Jan 25, 2023 5:50 pm
Ivo tobacco
Nagaland Health officials taking ‘anti-tobacco pledge’ at the directorate of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday. (EM images)

Kohima, Jan. 25 (EMN): Nagaland Health department on Wednesday declared hospital premises and state medical institutions across Nagaland as tobacco-free zone.

The order will come into effect from February 1.

Commissioner and Secretary of Health and Family Welfare, Y Kikheto Sema, said that from February 1, all the district hospitals, community health centres, primary health centres, office of the chief medical officers, directorate of Health and Family Welfare and all institutions coming under Health and Welfare will be declared as tobacco-free zones.

‘This exercise should start from the directorate. We should not take tobacco and alcohol in the hospitals’, he said, addressing a coordination meeting with health officers at the directorate’s conference hall, Kohima on Wednesday.

He added that he will not hesitate to impose the order that is written in the rule.

“In exercise of the power conferred by Section 4 and 6 of Cigarettes and other Tobacco products (Prohibition of advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply, and Distribution) Acts 2003 and also considering the ever-increasing disease burden attributed to tobacco use, the State Government declare all District Hospitals(DH), Community Health Centers(CHC),Primary Health Centers(PHC),Sub-Centers(SC),Chief Medical Officer(CMO) offices, Medical Superintendent(MS) offices, Naga Hospital Authority Kohima (NHAK) and Directorate of Health & Family Welfare as Tobacco-Free Zone and henceforth smoking, using of tobacco products within the Hospital premises and sale of Tobacco products within 100 meters from any hospital is prohibited with effect from 1st February 2023”, the notification stated.

It also authorised the principal director, all heads of  offices in charge of hospitals, CMOs, MS and nursing-in-charge to take action against anybody who contravenes the provision of Section 4 and 6 (b) of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) 2003 within their jurisdiction.

During the meeting, the officials took the ‘anti-tobacco pledge’ led by Dr. C Tetseo, state nodal officer NTCP.

6135
By Reyivolü Rhakho Updated: Jan 25, 2023 5:50:25 pm
Website Design and Website Development by TIS