The Directorate of Health and Family Welfare (DH&FW), Nagaland, in collaboration with Vital Strategies, held a state-level orientation workshop on tobacco control under the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) at the DH&FW Conference Hall, Kohima, on October 22.
Additional Director (Dental), DH&FW, Dr. Reyosalu Lase Vizo, welcomed the gathering, while Director (Dental), Dr. I. Arenla Walling, delivered the inaugural address.
Additional Secretary of Municipal Affairs, T. Nchumbemo Odyuo, NCS, highlighted the role of municipal administration in tobacco regulation, stressing the need to implement Tobacco Vendor Licensing (TVL) and sensitise vulnerable groups, particularly youth, to tobacco-related harms.
Retired Director (Dental), DH&FW, Dr. Chiekroshuyi Tetseo, spoke on the Municipal and TVL Act in Nagaland, while Vital Strategies Technical Advisor Dr. Hansa Kundu presented a national update on TVL.
State Nodal Officer for NTCP, Dr. I. Simon Sumi, outlined the state and national burden of tobacco use. Dr. Neingutunuo Angami, District Nodal Officer, shared updates on TVL implementation in Kohima.
Sessions also covered enforcement of Sections 4, 5, 6 and 7 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003. Vital Strategies Technical Specialist (Cessation), Dr. Upendra Singh Bhadauria, presented strategies for establishing tobacco-free villages and introduced a proposed web-based application to monitor implementation across Nagaland.
