PNS | DEHRADUN
A two-day hands-on training programme on the ‘Operation of the Tobacco Elimination Center’, organised by the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) in the district of Dehradun, concluded on Tuesday. The training began on January 6 and included participants such as dental surgeons, National Adolescent Health Programme (NAHP) counsellors, and NTCP counsellors from the districts of Chamoli, Pauri, Rudraprayag, Uttarkashi, Tehri, Dehradun and Haridwar. This training was aimed at all the districts within the Garhwal Division.
According to the officials, the primary objective of the programme was to equip health counsellors with the skills to provide effective counselling and support to individuals seeking to quit tobacco at the community level. During the training, the importance of collaboration among dentists, tobacco control counselors and adolescent health counselors stationed in hospitals was emphasised. It was mandated that patients who come for dental checkups or oral health assessments and are tobacco or smoke users must receive compulsory counselling.
Further, the officials added that the training focused on encouraging tobacco users to utilise pharmacotherapy and the Quitline number (1800-112-356) in addition to counselling. Balaji Seva Sansthan, an organisation supporting the tobacco elimination campaign, provided technical and training support for this initiative.
