Patna: The central government has launched a significant initiative aimed at addressing the addiction to Khaini and controlling the rising incidence of cancer in Bihar. As part of this plan, tobacco cessation centers (TCC) are being established in all medical colleges across the state.
The largest center, equipped with 30 beds, was inaugurated on September 24 at Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH) in Patna. Health Minister Mangal Pandey stated that while approximately 25 percent of the population in Bihar currently consumes tobacco, the goal is to reduce this figure to zero.
Dr. Santosh Kumar, the Nodal Medical Officer of the Tobacco Cessation Center at NMCH, expressed optimism about the new center’s potential. “This center will help tobacco users overcome their addiction,” he stated. The guidelines for the TCC were issued on May 31, 2024, coinciding with World No Tobacco Day, and the center became fully operational on September 24, 2024, as part of the Tobacco Free Youth Campaign 2.0.
Dr. Kumar emphasized that the center is equipped to provide comprehensive services, from counseling to treatment. TCCs will be established in all medical colleges throughout Bihar, with strong collaboration from the state government. Union Health Minister JP Nadda has also inaugurated several such centers, which aim to tackle serious health issues like cancer.
The NMCH center will involve doctors from various specialties, including the Chest Department, Medicine Department, Radiotherapy Department, and Dental Department. Dr. Kumar highlighted the government’s extensive planning for this initiative.
On September 24, 2024, Minister JP Nadda launched TCCs online in several medical colleges across the country, including NMCH in Patna, SKMCH Hospital in Muzaffarpur, and DMCH in Darbhanga.
The center has already begun helping individuals like Sanjeev, a resident of Hilsa, who has been at the Nasha Mukti Kendra at NMCH for the past month. Sanjeev became addicted to Khaini during high school and later transitioned to ganja. He shared that his family learned about the center and admitted him for treatment.
Similarly, Shiv Kumar from Masaurhi fell into addiction through tobacco, which eventually led to his addiction to smack. His mother, Munni Devi, revealed that Shiv was studying sociology but became dependent on drugs before he could complete his studies. Upon discovering the center, his family admitted him for help.
Bihar’s government is taking significant steps to address the severe health risks associated with Khaini. During a program held on September 28, Health Minister Mangal Pandey highlighted the alarming statistics: 25.9 percent of people in Bihar currently consume tobacco, a decline from 50.5 percent in previous years. The government aims to eliminate tobacco use entirely through various initiatives.
In September, a state-level training program focused on tobacco control was also conducted. Minister Pandey announced the second phase of the Tobacco Free Youth Campaign, emphasizing the urgency of addressing tobacco use among youth.
According to the Global Youth Tobacco Survey 2021, 7.3 percent of children aged 13 to 15 in Bihar are tobacco users. The health minister noted that tobacco consumption is responsible for 90 percent of mouth cancer cases and affects 40 percent of all cancer patients in the state. He urged the public to refrain from tobacco consumption for better health outcomes.
