Rallies highlight ill-effects of smoking, chewing tobacco

Tirupati: Expressing deep concern on excess consumption of tobacco, awareness rallies and other programmes mark the World No Tobacco Day being observed every year on May 31. Apart from other activities Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS) has launched a yearlong 'Kick Tobacco' campaign to highlight ill-effects of smoking cigarettes, beedies and chewing tobacco.

To make the campaign reach everyone, SVIMS Director, staff, faculty and students of College of Physiotherapy performed a flash mob, using music and rhythmic movements depicting cancer, lung disease and heart attack, creating awareness among the people about the negative impact of tobacco usage and slogans of 'Quit Smoking' were raised in SVIMS campus on Friday.

Addressing the gathering, the Director Dr TS Ravikumar said, "If each student uses social media of choice to convert 10 smokers close to them as relatives or friends, into non-smokers by next World No Tobacco Day, it will be a most cost-effective strategy". Inspired by the flash mob performed by the students, members of public expressed views about the tobacco usage and requested everyone to spread the message "Quit Tobacco".

Flash mob was followed by an awareness programme in SVIMS Out-Patient Department in which Ravikumar disclosed that one in five persons dying in the world because of tobacco usage is an Indian. One third of all cancers and two third of all diseases are contributed by tobacco.

"So, on this World No Tobacco Day, I exhort all the students and medical professionals to take 10 people, who are using tobacco and put persistent effort to make them quit smoking as it as an addiction that never leaves easily," he underlined.

The Head of the Department of Medicine Dr Alladi Mohan said that tobacco usage is a preventable cause of death. In the world, 10 per cent of deaths are happening due to tobacco usage. Every year, 80 lakh people were dying due to tobacco usage and 12 lakh people are dying due to passive smoking.

If the smokers affected by TB stop smoking, then there is a greater chance of them surviving TB, he stressed. Medical Superintendent Dr Alok Sachan, Registrar Dr TC Kalawat, Principal of Sri Padmavathi Medical College for Women Dr M Hanumantha Rao, senior Professor Dr V Shiva Kumar, students, staff and others attended the programme.

The District Medical and Health Officer (DM&HO) Dr B Ramagiddaiah has led an awareness rally in the district headquarters on Friday. The participants raised slogans against the usage of tobacco and its consequences. Speaking on the occasion, DM&HO has said that, smoking causes cancer, lung diseases, asthma and several other diseases.

He stressed the need to take steps to stop using tobacco products by the people. Additional DM&HO Dr C Aruna Sulochana Devi said that a 15-day programme was taken up to create awareness among the public on the implications of tobacco usage. She said that no one should smoke in public places. DCHS Dr P Saralamma, Dr Janaki, Dr Sudarsan, DEMO Dr A Nirmalamma and others along with nursing students, general public took part in the rally.

Another rally was organised in Tirupati on the occasion in which Dr Ambedkar, who is working as a Medical Officer at Damineedu Primary Health Centre has said that the usage of tobacco products has come down to 23 per cent from 34 per cent due to various awareness programmes chalked out by WHO since 1988.