State government has declared all district hospitals (DHs), community health centres (CHC), primary health centres (PHCs), sub-centres (SC), chief medical officer (CMO) offices, medical superintendent (MS) offices, Naga Hospital Authority Kohima (NHAK) and directorate of health & family welfare as tobacco-free zone.
In a notification, commissioner & secretary H&FW, Y Kikheto Sema stated that henceforth smoking and using of tobacco products within the hospital premises and sale of tobacco products within 100 meters from any hospital would be prohibited with effect from February 1, 2023.
The government has authorised the principal director, all heads of offices in charge of hospitals, CMOs, MS and Nursing-in-charge to take action against anybody who contravened the provision of Section 4 and 6 (b) of COTPA 2003 within their jurisdiction.
State government has taken this decision considering the ever-increasing disease burden attributed to tobacco use.
