Srinagar, June 21: The Directorate of Health Services Kashmir (DHSK) has requested that a “No Smoking Pledge Ceremony” be held by all Chief Medical Officers, Medical Superintendents, and Block Medical Officers at all healthcare facilities on Thursday.
On the eve of World No Tobacco Day, on May 23, 2023, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued the following directive: “In pursuance of the directions of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare issued vide D.O. No.P.16016/01/202-TC dated. 23 May-2023, and as per the instruction of Secretary Health & Medical Department J&K, all the Chief Medical Officers, Medical Superintendents, and Block Medical Officers are requested to carry out No Smoking Pledge
The event’s goal is to get people to make a public commitment not to smoke by highlighting the risks associated with tobacco usage. The initiative’s goal is to create a smoke-free society by enlisting the support of medical experts and healthcare institutions.
The Chief Medical Officers of the Kashmir region have also been given the responsibility of keeping an eye on things during the pledge ceremony.
To guarantee accountability and efficient execution of the anti-tobacco measures, they must submit a detailed action taken report to the Directorate of Health on the same day.
The Department of Health in Jammu and Kashmir is making strides towards a smoke-free future by implementing tobacco control policies. Officials have stated their goal of creating a tobacco-free society via the promotion of tobacco-free villages, the targeting of young, and the implementation of measures in educational institutions.
The National Tobacco Control Programme is a collection of initiatives with the overarching goal of decreasing the number of new tobacco users, increasing the number of people who successfully quit tobacco use, decreasing the number of people exposed to secondhand smoke, and bolstering the enforcement of existing tobacco control laws.
Dr. Mir Mushtaq, the NTCP’s state nodal officer in Kashmir, has said that anti-smoking initiatives in the region are a top priority.
“There are various COTPA laws that need to be put into effect,” he stated.
