New Delhi/Health Live
Prof. Raj Kumar, Director, Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute (VPCI), Delhi, received the prestigious “WHO Director-General Special Recognition Award and World No Tobacco Day Awards” of World Health Organization (WHO) in recognition of his outstanding contribution to tobacco control. The Award was presented during the programme on ‘National Consultation on Tobacco Lung Health’, on the eve of ‘World No Tobacco Day’, at Hotel Lalit, New Delhi, on 31st May 2019.
In fact, every year WHO recognizes individuals or organisations in each of the six WHO regions for their exceptional accomplishments in the area of tobacco control. During the year, the WHO has selected 33 individuals and organisations across the World for the award. In South-East Asian Region, two have been selected from India, of which one is Prof Raj Kumar, and the other is Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Rajasthan.
Prof. Raj Kumar had started his Tobacco Control journey in the year 2001 by establishing a Tobacco Cessation Clinic (TCC) at VPCI with the support from World Health Organization and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India. Further, the TCC, VPCI was upgraded in the year 2009 as Resource Centre for Tobacco Control. He played instrumental roles in setting up Tobacco Cessation Centers, making various Tobacco Dependence Treatment Guidelines for Govt. of India, establishment of Society for Tobacco Control, Mobile-cessation in India, etc.
Prof. Kumar also played an important role to begin a telephone-based free-of-cost “National Tobacco Quit-Line Services” (NTQLS) started at VPCI on 30th May 2016, with financial support from Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India and with primary aim to provide counselling to stop use of tobacco in any form. The NTQLS is accessed through a toll-free no. 1800-11-2356 and it has received over a lakh phone calls since inception. Nearly 30% quitters have so far benefited with the NTQLS.
