The District Level Co-ordination Committee quarterly meeting of Kohima District Tobacco Control Cell (DTCC) was conducted on September 27 at the DC’s Conference Hall.
According to DIPR, in the meeting seven medical institutions were declared tobacco free and awarded certificates.
The institutions were: Naga Hospital Authority Kohima, Oking Hospital & Research Clinic, Bethel Medical Centre, K.P. Bethesda Hospital, Kohima’s Hospital, Putuonuo Nursing Home, and GIVF Nursing Home.
Chairman DLCC & DC Kohima, Rajesh Soundararajan chaired the meeting and also gave the welcome speech.
Dr. Arenla Walling, senior dental surgeon and district nodal officer, Kohima gave a brief report on the activities of Kohima District Tobacco Control Cell, carried out during the months of July, August and September.
Dr. Hotokhu Chishi, joint director, Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Nagaland and state nodal officer, National Tobacco Control Programme declared the seven medical institutions under Kohima District as Tobacco free medical institutions. Several pressing issues related to tobacco use and how it is affecting the health of the people in general was discussed in detail.
The committee also discussed new measures to be undertaken to curb the menace of tobacco usage.
The committee decided to take up new initiatives such as integrating tobacco control activities with the ongoing treatments for tobacco free hospitals, clinics and nursing homes; the committee requested the concerned authorities to issue an order to carry out regular enforcement drives and work towards declaration of more Tobacco Free Villages under Kohima District.