Anushthana: Scaling Implementation of Tobacco Control Laws
This is a research study that aims to understand how to enhance and scale implementation of Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) in India. It’s been
This study is supported through India Alliance early-career clinical and public health fellowship awarded to Pragati Hebbar.
Anushthana Team
- Dr. Pragati Hebbar, Principal Investigator, PhD Scholar, and DBT/WellCome Trust India Alliance Early Career Fellow
- Vivek Dsouza, Research Officer
- Praveen Rao, Communications Consultant
- Kumaran P, Consultant- Communities of Practice
Funding Agency
PhD promoters:
Gera Nagelhout, Department of Health Promotion, Maastricht University
(CAPHRI) Constant ‘Onno’ Van Schayck, Department of Family Medicine, Maastricht
University (CAPHRI)
Dr. Giridhar Babu, Head-Lifecourse Epidemiology, Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) & Intermediate Fellow, Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance
Dr. Upendra Bhojani, Director, Institute of Public Health (IPH), Bengaluru
Collaborators:
Dr. Pankaj Chaturvedi, MS (Dental Surgery), Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai
Dr. Pratima Murthy, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences
Dr. US Vishal Rao, MS (Otolaryngology), Member, High Power Committee on Tobacco Control, Government of Karnataka
Nikhil Gokani, Deputy Director, Law, and Non-Communicable Diseases Unit. Researcher, School of Law and Social Justice, Essex University, Liverpool, UK.
Mentors:
Dr. Prakash C Gupta, Director, PhD, Healis Sekhsaria Institute for Public
Health.
Dr. Prashanth NS, PhD, Institute of Public Health (IPH), Bengaluru.
Fellowship Supervisor and Primary sponsor:
Dr. Upendra Bhojani, PhD, Institute of Public Health (IPH), Bengaluru.External Sponsor:
Dr. Sara Van Belle, PhD, Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM), Antwerp.
1. Publication
- Implementation research for taking tobacco control policies to scale in India: a realist evaluation study protocol
- Beyond numbers, coverage, and cost: adaptive governance for post-COVID-19 reforms in India
- Healthcare delivery in India amid the Covid-19 pandemic: Challenges and opportunities
- Affirmative action, minorities, and public services in India: Charting a future research and practice agenda
- LifeFirst: Impact of a school-based tobacco and supari cessation intervention among adolescent students in Mumbai, India
2. Workshops
3. Webinars
The webinars provide a platform and encourage dialogue amongst researchers, policy-makers, practitioners, and implementers to address and provide solutions to complex public health problems related to tobacco control especially the implementation of tobacco control policies.
These webinars specifically engage with the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003, smokeless tobacco, and e-cigarettes, and aims to provide an in-depth understanding of the National Tobacco Control Program (NTCP), its progress and impact on health outcomes, and challenges/barriers in its implementation across various states in India.
EPISODE 1: Youth and Tobacco Control Policies in India
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUTksBH6Wxs&list=PLwN9jZa2UU_HWrfunMdy8lCX4Zb52lB85&index=1
EPISODE 2: Implementing Ban on Tobacco Advertisements, Promotions, and Sponsorships
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-t5AB4iGTe8&list=PLwN9jZa2UU_HWrfunMdy8lCX4Zb52lB85&index=2
EPISODE 3: Prohibition of smoking in public places – implementation experiences
Episode 4: Role of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Tobacco Control
Episode 5: How Does Research Shape Tobacco Control Policies In India?
Conference Presentations
We participated in 12 national and international conferences and shared our work through eight oral and poster presentations.
Cluster updates
Inside Implementation: REALISE Webinar Series, Episode-2
Pre-registration is mandatory24th January 20256:30 to 7:30 PM, ISTOnline on Zoom Title: Panel Discussion on the Use of Implementation Research Methods. Implementation Research (IR) methods are being increasingly used for evaluating public health interventions...
Inside Implementation: REALISE Webinar Series, Episode-1
During this session, the speakers explored how realist research helps in navigating complexity and understanding causation. They shared insights on the merits and challenges of applying realist methods in Health Policy and Systems Research, along with recent methodological developments in the field. The conversation also highlighted how early-career researchers could engage with communities of practice to apply these techniques.
IPH Bengaluru team attend 6th NCTOH
Faculty and staff from the Cluster on Chronic Health Conditions & Public Policy at the Institute of Public Health (IPH) Bengaluru attended the 6th National Conference on Tobacco or Health (NCTOH) organized by the International Institute of Health Management...
IPH faculty member Dr. Upendra Bhojani participated in ITM Colloquium in Katmandu, Nepal
Dr. Upendra Bhojani, Faculty & DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance Senior fellow at the Institute of Public Health Bengaluru participated in the 64th ITM Colloquium 2023. The Colloquium, jointly organised by the Institute of Tropical Medicine (Antwerp) and the Nepal...
National Consultation on ‘Implementation of Tobacco Control Policies in India’
India has comprehensive tobacco control policies in place to address the growing problem of tobacco use, but their effectiveness differs among states due to diverse socio-economic, demographic, cultural, political, commercial, and geographical factors. Using a realist...
Regional Report on Tobacco Industry Interference in South Asia
The tobacco epidemic continues today, claiming the lives of about 8 million people worldwide every year. Increasing interference by the tobacco industry has been seen to be an obstacle to effective tobacco control.
Duration of project
(2018-2023)
Want to improve your public health skills? Join our course now!
