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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Tobacco stains on hospitals by Piyush Kumar Tripathi

Tobacco stains on hospitals by Piyush Kumar Tripathi

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published Published on Feb 1, 2012   modified Modified on Feb 1, 2012

Residents rushing to government hospitals in the state capital for urgent healthcare are often greeted by cigarette smoke and tobacco stains on the premises.

Traders and visitors merrily violate Section 6(b) of the Anti-Tobacco Act, 2003, that bans the sale and consumption of tobacco products within 100 yards of hospitals and health institutions.

The Telegraph visited three hospitals in the state capital today and found rules being blown away with the smoke.

IGIMS

Squatters and stall owners sell cigarettes and other tobacco products right in front of the emergency ward at Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS).

Patients and their relatives can only grumble about the state of affairs. One of them, Sheela Pandey, a resident of the SBI Colony in Sheikhpura, said: “Several squatters sell cigarettes, tobacco and other products at the entrance of the emergency ward. It is shocking to see such activities being carried out unchecked right under the nose of the security personnel.”

The hospital management have other problems. “The security personnel try to remove the squatters when they enter the hospital premises. They can, however, not do much as they do not have any powers. We have complained several times to the police but in vain,” said Dr Arun Kumar, director, IGIMS.

Cops, however, claim they have received no such complaints. An officer at Shastri Nagar police station said: “We have received no complaints about squatters selling tobacco products inside the IGIMS. We took the initiative to conduct raids around the entrance of the hospital. The health hub has 45 security personnel but not a single squatter has been caught or handed over to us.”

PMCH

The condition at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) is no better. Patients and their relatives complain that kiosks selling tobacco products are a dime a dozen near the health hub. “There is complete negligence on the part of hospital authorities,” claimed Ashiana Nagar resident Prakash Kumar.

A doctor at the hospital has a cure on offer though. “In order to keep tabs on such activities, health hubs should form flying squads or a dedicated team of workers. The team would keep strict vigil on such activities and penalise the offenders,” said Dr Rajiv Ranjan Prasad, physiology teacher at PMCH.

NMCH

Visitors to Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH), too, have similar unpleasant experiences. “Whenever I come to NMCH, I am forced to be a passive smoker,” said Gai Ghat resident Ankit Kumar.

Dr Shiv Kumari Prasad, superintendent, NMCH, claimed tobacco is not sold on the campus of the hospital but added that he has no control over what happens outside the helth hub’s boundary walls.

The state health department said it is the responsibility of the hospitals to remove tobacco sellers from their premises. Amarjeet Sinha, the principal secretary of the health department, told The Telegraph: “I shall write a letter to the director of IGIMS to stop such activities and ask him to provide an explanation why no actions has been taken till date.”

He added that Bihar State Health Society is trying to spread awareness about the hazards of consuming tobacco and will soon start penalising people for violating the norms of Cigarettes and Other Toba-cco Products (COPT) Act, 2003.

Dr N.K. Mishra, state programme officer, Bihar State Health Society, said: “We have printed chalans, which would be issued to people violating norms of COPT Act. Officials above the rank of sub-inspector in food and civil supplies, police, airport authority, medical officers and other gazetted officers would have the authority to issue these chalans.” He added that the drive would start within 10 days.


The Telegraph, 1 February, 2012, http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120201/jsp/bihar/story_15077254.jsp


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