Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Tobacco Cessation Centres (TCCs) are being established to provide free pharmacotherapy and counselling services to people seeking to quit smoking or other forms of tobacco use.
The initiative is being implemented in accordance with the guidelines of the Ministry of AYUSH under the Central Government. These centres will function in Ayurveda and Unani and Siddha AYUSH colleges and are aimed at curbing the rising incidence of oral cancer linked to tobacco consumption.
Since Ayurveda and Unani colleges are present in only 14 districts of the state, the facility will be limited to these districts. There are currently no Siddha or Sowa-Rigpa colleges in Madhya Pradesh.
According to the Ayush Medical Association, the centres will be set up across 14 districts of Madhya Pradesh — Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, Dewas, Burhanpur, Ujjain, Rewa, Shivpuri, Chhatarpur, Mandsaur, Jabalpur, Sehore, Raisen and Ratlam.
Board of Ayurveda, National Commission for Indian Systems of Medicine, Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India, New Delhi, has issued circular in this matter. Institutions have been directed to provide the necessary resources, infrastructure, and trained manpower for this purpose.
In medical outpatient departments, the ideas and activities related to tobacco cessation should be widely publicized and explained to the public.
Dr Rakesh Pandey, national spokesperson of the AYUSH Medical Association, said, “ NCISM's objective is to create a tobacco-free society, thereby reducing mortality. But in MP, only 14 districts will be benefited as Ayurved and Unani colleges cover only 14 districts. Siddha, Sowa, Rigpa colleges are not in MP. There is no provision to open TCCs in Homoepathy colleges.
These centres are established under the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP), aim to reduce tobacco addiction by offering free, accessible counseling and pharmacotherapy, said Pandey.
They provide personalized behavioral support, raise community awareness, and train healthcare professionals to combat tobacco-related diseases, he further added. These centres will be hi-tech and well equipped to motivate people to give up tobacco.
