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Tobacco Control Cell goes up in smoke
District Tobacco Control Cell (DTCC) in Hyderabad remains an ornamental facility with tobacco addicts not utilising the services. This is attributed to lack of awareness among the tobacco addicts about the DTCC which would offer free counselling to them.
​Hyderabad: District Tobacco Control Cell (DTCC) in Hyderabad remains an ornamental facility with tobacco addicts not utilising the services. This is attributed to lack of awareness among the tobacco addicts about the DTCC which would offer free counselling to them.
According to the sources in Hyderabad District Medical and Health Department, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare asked the State government to establish DTCCs to provide free counselling to tobacco addicts.
The DTCCs also offer rehabilitation programme and treat the individuals having an addiction to tobacco products. They are required to oversee the implementation of the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Acts (COPTA) guidelines and advertisement of cigarette and other tobacco products (TAPS).
The main aim of these cells is to help the people who want to quit to tobacco products. However, lack of knowledge on the existence of free facility like DTCC has led persons like Sheik Riaz from Amberpet mandal to approach a private clinic at RTC cross road, shelling out around Rs 2,000 a month for de-addiction treatment.
“The clinics generally collect fee for their therapy, medications, and counselling services,” he said.The sources in DMHO office said that funds crunch too has hampered the services in the DTCC.
The DTCC has failed to take action against violation of no-smoking rule in public places and removing the shops selling tobacco products within 100 meters of educational institutions. The DTCC has in fact powers to penalise the violators of the rules.
The DTCC has also failed to make school committees, headed by headmasters and comprising science teachers and parents, besides NCC cadets, students and local MLA active.
Psychologist Praveen Kumar, an expert, who deals with individuals with tobacco addiction, said during 2013 the district administration had extended their support, but later the DTCC had become non-functional. “A team of three medical experts and 10 resource persons were relieved from service after the cell dissolved,” he said.
By: G Bharat Krishna
