77% Jodhpur health institutions have no tobacco warning: Survey

JODHPUR: While the central and state governments are banning hazardous products such as e-cigarettes, dangerous tobacco products such as combustible cigarettes, bidis and gutkha are available at an arm’s distance to the common man including young children in Jodhpur district, finds a recent survey.

The survey, conducted by an NGO, Vaagdhara, shows that the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act 2003 (COTPA) is being flouted in Jodhpur city and the district administration seems to be indifferent towards effective enforcement of the tobacco control laws in the city.

In past 8 months, only 116 challans have been issued by the district police, the survey report says.

The health institutions in Jodhpur, both government and private, responsible for providing health facilities to the general public, also seem to be ailing on the COTPA compliance issue.

On May 15, 2017, the mission director of National Health Mission (NHM) had issued directions to make all the health institutions tobacco free. However, the survey shows non-compliance of the NHM order as well as that of the tobacco control measures and laws related to the same revealing 77% of health institutions (46% of government and 81% of private hospitals) in the city not having tobacco use warning signages.

Wherever available, 47% of them do not have details of the concerned officer. Around 67% of institutions (73% government and 66% private) recorded tobacco consumption within 100 yards of their premises. The sale of tobacco products by different types of vendors was observed outside 57% of hospitals (72% of government and 54% of private).

“The baseline study has been done in line to identify gaps in COTPA compliance under key sectors and make Jodhpur a tobacco free city,” said Jayesh Joshi, secretary Vaagdhara. “It is a matter of huge concern where the government is unable to check the availability of tobacco products around health institutions, set aside other places and institutions.even in the transport sector, people can be seen using tobacco, but conductors of both private and government buses are helpless as they do not have challan books with them,” said Dr Sawai Jain, a consultant physician.

Chief medical and health officer Balawant Manda said they had helped the NGO in the survey work and they would sort out the issues pointed out by the survey report.