JKVHA urges people to pledge for a healthier life to prevent Cancers

Srinagar, February 06  (Scoop News) –J&K Voluntary Health Association has urged the public to take a pledge to join the Global fight against cancer to reduce premature deaths from this devastating disease. This was stated in an awareness programme for NGO partners and volunteers conducted by J&K VHA at its headquarters Pandrethan to observe the World Cancer Day. The meeting was attended by A.K Wani, Sr. Program Manager JKVHA, Dr. A.A Tahir, Wings Organization and Balbir Singh, Distt. Coordinator, Axshya Project, JKVHA and its partner NGOs and Volunteers.

It was revealed that Cancer is a leading cause of deaths around the world. In India, Tobacco alone is responsible for 1.5 lakh cancers, 4.2 million heart diseases and 3.7 million lung diseases every year. India is the oral cancer capital of the world because of rampant habit of Tobacco chewing. Over 65% of cancer in India is contributed to Tobacco related breast and cervical cancer. Scientific evidences have established the fact that, not only oral cancer, Tobacco chewing can cause cancer of the organs like food pipe, throat, stomach, Kidney and lungs. Smokeless tobacco during pregnancy can cause still birth, low birth weight, premature delivery, anaemia of mother and several complications during delivery. It can cause high blood pressure and other life threatening cardiovascular conditions like strokes etc .Poor dental hygiene and different types of dental diseases are also common among chewers. India spends approximately Rs. 300 billion annually on both public and private spending on treatment of Tobacco related diseases which accounts roughly one-fourth of all health spending. According to Global Adult Tobacco survey (GATS) conducted in 2009-2010, out of 274.9 million estimated numbers Tobacco users in India, 163.7 million Indians use chewing tobacco. Regarding J&K State it has been revealed that it has 67% passive smokers, which is highest in the north region.

It was also stated that Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, Ministry of Health GOI, has now notified the Food Safety and Standards Regulation 2011 which among other things has imposed Prohibition and Restriction on Sale of Food Products having Tobacco and Nicotine as its ingredients. Since Gutka and Chewing Tobacco Products have been declared as “Food” by the Supreme Court of India and various other Courts across India, this notification will help to curtail the production of food items that have Tobacco and Nicotine as ingredients. The participants appreciated the slogan of Cancer Society of Kashmir that “35% of all Cancers can be avoided if one stops smoking.”

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