Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan in a recent letter on the June 19 urged Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to raise tax on retail price of cigarettes from 45 per cent to over 60 per cent in the upcoming budget. This would add Rs 3,800 crore to the government's revenue and save at least four million lives.
Speaking at an earlier event, the Health Minister called on all citizens to become ambassadors in the war against tobacco. He also stated that tobacco use is fatal, and said that he has seen many families ruined and children orphaned due to the use by elders in the family. This signals a commitment by the minister to seriously push the health agenda for improving the lives of our children. Health is also included in the BJP's manifesto and ten-point agenda put forward by the Prime Minister last week.
June 26, the International Day for Drug Abuse and Illicit trafficking gives a good opportunity to look at the health issues facing millions of children across the country and what Dr Harsh Vardhan needs to focus on. There's no doubt that tobacco and substance abuse are a big problem amongst school going children, despite laws and regulations to curb this.
In 2013, a nation-wide cross sectional study of children up to 18 years old, by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) conducted on more than 4,000 children from 27 states and 2 Union Terriorties, found that children as young as 12 yrs start using tobacco and inhalants such as white fluid. In Delhi, 70 per cent reported usage of tobacco, 39 per cent of inhalants, 34 per cent of cannabis and 23 per cent of alcohol. The figures are frightening and without timely intervention, it will be difficult to curb the problem, which will lead to more children falling critically ill, becoming disabled and dropping out of school. In Rajasthan, 80 per cent reported usage of tobacco, 41 per cent of alcohol, and 40 per cent of inhalants and 17 per cent for the use of cannabis.
There are concerted efforts being made on the ground in Delhi and Rajasthan to address the growing substance use among children and to ensure a healthier environment for our children. Teachers and health workers have been trained to take care of the welfare of children, and raise awareness in the community on such issues through the School Health Programme (SHP).
In Delhi, the Directorate of Health Services in collaboration with the Department of Education, has trained 7604 teachers from government and government aided schools, on topics related to the health of school children. In addition, 180 counselors, health-workers, and 50,000 teachers across schools in Delhi, have been trained to identify and counsel school children with substance use.
Under the directions of the Delhi High Court, a Juvenile Justice Committee has been formed with representatives from the Health and Education Departments in Delhi, to take steps towards addressing the problem of substance use among school children.
In Rajasthan, 60 per cent of the teachers across the state have been trained by the Education Department to address health concerns among school children.
Both states have seen many successes in their school health programmes in target areas, reaching hundreds of thousands of children, and are hoping to expand the programmes across their state.
This kind of infrastructure has to be scaled up across the country if we are to have a lasting impact on the lives of children. They are the future of the country and if we cannot provide a healthy foundation for them, then how can progress and development be achieved? The BJP's commitment on health is a promising start, and it is imperative that we make sure it is implemented soon and in every state, so we can see real results in the coming years.
(Dr Ramesh Chandra Mathur has served as the Additional Director, Hospital Management, Department of Health, Rajasthan. He retired in 2014. His educational qualifications are MD, MBBS. His interests include child and adolescent health)
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