Manipal Hospitals Bengaluru launches Campaign to Mark “World No Tobacco Day 2018”

As nations world over gear up to celebrate World No Tobacco Day, with WHO’s focus this year being on the impact of tobacco on cardiovascular health, India  is fighting its own tobacco-related death and disease battle. Manipal Hospitals Bengaluru, the foremost multi-specialty healthcare provider committed to clinical excellence and patient care, today announced the launch of its ‘Lets Together, Beat Tobacco’ Campaign on the  occasion of World No Tobacco Day.  This awareness campaign was unveiled by  Vanistha Ashok, fitness expert with an aim to create awareness on the ill effects of tobacco consumption in any form.

In a bid to spread the awareness on preventive care, Manipal Hospitals launched quick evaluation package for lungs at just Rs. 799. The package includes chest x – ray, spirometery, GRBS and Pulmonology consultation. The package can be gifted to a smoker in the family to encourage him / her to quit smoking.

Manipal Hospitals Bengaluru launched a bouquet of activities under the campaign such as a poster exhibition, literature and brochures to educate the masses, cyclothon for hospital consultants and employees along with special screening packages for the public. Cyclothon for hospital employees will be flagged off from Manipal Hospital premises to CMH Road, Indiranagar and back. The rally will begin at 6.00 am and culminate at 8.00 am on Saturday, June 2, 2018.

Speaking on the occasion Dr. Sudarshan Ballal, Chairman, Manipal Hospitals said, “Today, global statistics show that use of tobacco causes around 6 million deaths a year which is projected to rise to 8 million by 2030 if we don’t act fast and take preventive measures. In India, heart blockages or coronary heart disease is among the leading causes of death and contrary to popular belief; it is smoking-caused heart disease that results in more deaths per year than smoking-caused lung cancer. However, smoking is also the single largest preventable cause of heart disease and which is why as a group we are committed to take this initiative to the mass population on educating and enhancing awareness in identifying plausible solutions to eradicate tobacco consumption. With this campaign, Manipal Hospitals is committed to fight this evil and create a healthier, happier India.”

Vanistha Ashok, fitness expert said, “   Fitness is something that cannot be attained overnight. It needs lifestyle modification and a strong will to practice healthy habits. Smoking is extremely injurious to our health and can cause irreversible damages to our body. I urge people to stop consuming tobacco is any form before it is too late.”

Speaking on the occasion Dr. Ranjan Shetty, Interventional Cardiologist, Manipal Hospitals said, “Smokers are almost twice at the risk of having a heart attack as compared to people who have never smoked.  Quitting smoking has huge benefits and it’s never too late to give up. Even smoking a single cigarette increases the risk of heart attack by almost 50 percent. Relatively smoking has much more adverse effects among women. If you are a smoker stop smoking completely and it is the single most important step you can take to protect the health of your heart”

Speaking on the occasion Dr.Somashekhar. S.P, Chairman & HOD Surgical Oncology, Manipal Hospitals, said, “Seventy percent of Indian cancers are caused by modifiable and preventable risk factors (40% tobacco, 20% infection and 10% others.  Approximately 30-60% cancers among males and 10-30% cancers in females are tobacco related. Passive smoking is a major burden in India with 44% occuring at home and 37% at public places. It is well known fact that cigarette smoking increases the risk of lung cancer 10-20 fold. It also causes 14 other types of cancers like oral cavity, stomach, colon, rectum, liver kidney, cervix cancers to name a few. “

Speaking on the occasion Dr. Satyanarayana Mysore, HOD, Pulmonology & Sleep Medicine, Manipal Hospitals said, “Lung diseases caused by smoking include COPD, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Cigarette smoking causes most cases of lung cancer. If you have asthma, tobacco smoke can trigger an attack or make an attack worse. Smokers are 12 to 13 times more likely to die from COPD than nonsmokers are. Reports reveal that India is the second largest consumer of tobacco with more than one-third of adults (35%) using tobacco in some form or other, of which 21% using smokeless form exclusively.”

World over approximately 1.1 billion people use tobacco and its products.In India the usage is high but there is a decreasing trend  in usage from 34.6%  in 2010 to 28.6% in 2017(GATS).As per the Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2017 ,the  usage in Karnataka has come down by 5% from 28.2% in 2010 to 22.8% in 2017.The usage is more in males (44%) compared to females (37%).