Mangalore, Dec. 8: “The goal of a Healthy society is to have less hospital and less illness; habits such as tobacco should be hence discouraged starting at youth. State government is committed to protect the younger generation of the state and to build a healthier Karnataka,” said U.T. Khader, Honorable minister for Health and Family welfare on Saturday Dec.8.
Khader was speaking at a half-day seminar titled “W.H.O FCTC treaty and its impact on tobacco control in India”, organized by the Institute of Public Health as part of a Media Sensitization workshop.
The minister called upon youngsters in the State to discourage tobacco in order to build a healthy society for the future.
The event held at the Yenepoya University Auditorium, Mangalore focused to highlight the World Health Organization’s first global public health treaty – Framework convention on tobacco control (FCTC) and India’s role in implementation of the same.
On this occasion Padma Bhushan Prof.B.M.Hegde, spoke on the issue of – “Importance of tobacco control in public health and preventive medicine” and emphasized on lead roles doctors to take to prevent diseases; Dr.Vishal Rao Surgical Oncologist Head Neck – BGS Global Hospital spoke on the “rising incidence of tobacco related cancers and emphasized that treatment advances haven’t helped tobacco related cancers whose survival remains very poor despite advances”.
Nupur Basu, senior journalist and documentary film maker, stressed on the pivotal role media played in the society to build awareness on health issues especially preventable health hazards such as tobacco to create awareness among youth. Cancer victims participated in this program and expressed the pain and suffering they have to go through after losing their voice box and other organ which has left them with a handicap and huge financial debts.
