JP Nadda conferred WHO Director-General’s Special Recognition Award

He informed that tobacco users have been reduced by 81 lakhs and youth consumption of tobacco also sees marked decrease

JP Nadda, Union Minister, Health and Family Welfare was conferred the World Health Organisation(WHO) Director-General’s Special Recognition Award for global tobacco control. The global recognition was presented to him by Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia at the ‘National Consultation on Accelerating Implementation of WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) for achievement of SDGs’. Faggan Singh Kulaste and Smt Anupriya Patel, Ministers of State for Health & Family Welfare(MoH&FW), were also present at the occasion.

Accepting the award, Nadda said, “Tobacco is a prime driver of poverty and it affects the family as a whole, the community and the country and requires a multi-sectoral approach to control it. It has rightly been identified as a development issue. I am happy that tobacco users have reduced by 81 lakhs and youth consumption of tobacco sees marked decrease.”

Nadda further stated. “My focus has always been on youth. My mantra for success in tobacco control efforts is to catch them young. I am very pleased to note, therefore, that there has been a 54 per cent relative reduction in prevalence of tobacco use among minors (15-17 years) and 28 per cent reduction in the age group of 18-24 years. Further, age of initiation among youth has also increased by one year,” Nadda elaborated.

Nadda said that India has come a long way in controlling the use of tobacco. “We have implemented large pack warnings with 85 per cent pictorial health warnings on both the sides, conducted second round of Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS), strengthened & upscaled cessation facilities with the launch of the toll-free national tobacco. Quitline and mCessation services and have made substantial investment under the 12th five year plan for expansion of National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) – which has been recognised by WHO as a best practice in its Global Tobacco Control report, 2015,” Shri Nadda informed. The Health Minister further said that India has also put a ban on smokeless tobacco products and has strengthened the implementation of the Tobacco Free film and television policy.

Anupriya Patel, MoH&FW, highlighted the measures taken by the Ministry through FSSAI to control tobacco use.

Also present at the event were Dr Jagdish Pradesd, DGHS and Dr Arun Kumar Panda, Addl. Secretary along with other senior officers of the Ministry and representatives from donor partners, health experts and NGOs.