Amid lockdown, the State Tobacco Control Cell (STCC) is continuing its activities across the districts in Nagaland to strengthen the existing measures on ban on spitting and sale of tobacco products to reduce community transmission of the virus.
The district tobacco control cells (DTCCs) are conducting talks, seminars and miking on the prohibition order on sale of tobacco products and spitting in public places while maintaining strict social distancing norms and guidelines, district consultant, STCC, Linoka K. Awomi, said on Saturday.
The health and family welfare department is continuing to prioritize the promotion of “Tobacco Free Village” by identifying new villages while the DTCCs are coordinating with the village authorities to implement the norms and guidelines to achieve the status, he said.
Awomi said anti-tobacco enforcement drives, along with the local authorities and civil society organisations, are being carried out by penalising the vendors and seizing the tobacco products.
Poster campaigns are also being undertaken at strategic places like district hospitals, community health centres, primary health centres, government offices, market streets and in quarantine facilities.
Another crucial campaign is the broadcast of anti-tobacco message in All India Radio FM Tragopan.
As part of the tobacco cessation programme, focused group discussions are being carried out with current tobacco users to facilitate quitting of the use of tobacco products.
A memorandum of understanding was signed between NTPC and Christian Institute of Health Sciences And Research, Dimapur, for setting up of a centre of excellence for tobacco cessation on June 6, Awomi added.