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
31st National Road Safety Week – January 2020
1.5 lakh lives are lost every year and many more are debilitated on Indian roads due to road crashes. This causes the families of victims with immense economic hardship and emotional trauma. According to the WHO reports, road crashes are one of the leading cause of deaths among the youth between the ages of 5-29 in India and worldwide.
To make our roads safe for all road users and to reduce the crash rates, every year “National Road Safety Week” is observed throughout the country. The focus of the activities of this week is to create more awareness among road users about the road safety and to emphasize good road using practices.
To observe this year’s 31st National Road Safety Week, Institute of Public Health in association with HKBK Group of institutions and Indian Degree College under banner of Safer roads Bengaluru initiative organised a bunch of activities from 14th to 17th of Jan 2020 at our selected stretch of road in Bengaluru. Signature campaign #IResolve4RoadSafety, Quiz on road safety for public and college students, Human chains at major junctions are the main activities among all other activities.
We were at all major junctions of the selected stretch of road from Hebbal to K R Puram throughout the Road Safety Week. A signature wall with student volunteers was present at all the junctions seeking public commitment for road safety. Around 3000 people committed for safer road usage through signing on our campaign wall.
Quiz on road safety witnessed more than 5000 participation. Winners of the quiz were awarded with a ISI marked 2-wheeler helmets by #SaferroadsBLR initiative. We also engaged people through our social media platform Facebook and twitter for the broader reach.
Film Screening: Health in All and the Tribal Population in South India
The IPH Knowledge Management Committee invites you to attend the screening of "Health in All and the Tribal Population in South India." directed by professional filmmaker Lode Desmet. The film was made along with public health researchers at IPH, Bangalore and ITM,...
Public lecture at IIHS
The director at IPH, Dr. Upendra Bhojani, gave a public lecture at IIHS in the 'Publics' lecture series. The talk was on Dr. Bhojani’s long standing work on the role of local health systems in poor urban neighbourhoods in Bangalore. The talk...
ITM visit
The director at IPH, Dr. Upendra Bhojani, attended the Be-cause health international conference on Urban health, organized by the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp. It was held on 15-16 October 2019 in Brussels. The conference sought to "address the following...
PGIMER 2019
The Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, PGIMER, organized the 2nd Public Health Policy and Management Program from 30th September to the 4th of October, 2019. The program was sponsored by the Ministry of External Affairs,...
World Day of Remembrance for road traffic victims
Every year, about 1.5 lakh Indians die from road injuries while about 5 lakhs sustain serious injuries. Karnataka, with a population of over 6.1 crores, accounts for the third-largest number of road injuries and the fourth-highest number of road traffic deaths in India.
To remember the many millions killed and injured on the world’s roads, together with their families, friends and many others who are also affected, people around the world observe the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (WDR) in the month of November every year.
Institute of Public Health, Bengaluru in association with Maharani Cluster University, Bengaluru under the banner of Safer Roads Bengaluru initiative had organized an awareness program and human chain formation today by students of Maharani College, Padmasree school of public health and public health Professionals at heart of the city (from Freedom park to KR circle) to commemorate this Year’s World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (WDR).
Shri. P C Mohan, Member of Parliament inaugurated the program. Addressing the students, he said, “Karnataka alone witnesses around ten thousand deaths and more than 50000 injuries every year due to road crashes. Adhering to traffic rules is the only way to reduce this. Youth should stop showing negligence towards traffic rules. By following traffic rules, one can, not only save his own life but also contribute to safeguarding other’s life as well.”
Addressing the students, Dr. Asha Abikar, Deputy Director of State Road Safety Authority said “Bangalore city alone witnesses around 650 road traffic deaths every year. To safeguard the lives of road users, the Government has recently amended the Motor Vehicle Act and increased the fine amount. People especially Youth should follow traffic rules and become an asset for the nation.”
Dr. Upendra Bhojani, Director of the Institute of Public Health explained about the safer roads Bengaluru initiative and stressed the need for the people’s commitment towards road safety.
The event was presided by Prof. Dr. M.S. Reddy, Special Officer, Maharani Cluster University.
Mr. Kumaraswamy who lost his 20-year-old daughter in a recent road crash explained his painful story, how negligence towards traffic rules claimed his daughter’s life and requested students to follow traffic rules.