Tobacco Cessation Centre inaugurated at Ruia hospital

Tirupati: New Tobacco Cessation Centre was inaugurated at the Ruia hospital premises by Principal of SV Medical College Dr PA Chandrasekharan along with in-charge superintendent of Dr J Radha on Tuesday.

The initiative is part of the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) under the directives of the Central and State governments.

Speaking at the event, in-charge of the tobacco cessation centre Dr H Hemachandra stated that it would operate daily from 9 am to 4 pm, offering specialised medical services and staff assistance. The objective is to support patients and the public in reducing tobacco use through consultations and guidance.

The virtual launch of the centre was led by Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Ganapatrao Jadhav at an event held at the Lady Hardinge Medical College auditorium in New Delhi. During his address, the Minister emphasised the need for youth to stay away from tobacco and addiction to maintain good health. He also launched the ‘Tobacco-Free Youth 2.0’ awareness programme aimed at educating young people about the dangers of tobacco and substance abuse.

The centre offers free medical consultations, nicotine gums, patches and medications to help individuals overcome tobacco addiction. It serves as a valuable resource for patients and residents seeking advice and assistance on tobacco control.

Vice-Principals Dr Venkateswarlu and Dr Sunitha, Head of the Psychiatry department Dr Mallikarjun Rao, ARMO Dr Harikrishna, Tobacco control programme officer Dr Padmavathi, PRO Veera Kiran and others

were present.