Mumbai: On the occasion of the recently celebrated World No Tobacco Day, various awareness programs were organized in Mumbai and nearby cities on the ill effects of tobacco consumption. To mark the occasion, Platinum Hospital in Mulund organized a unique event to explain the dangers of tobacco addiction.
In this initiative,150 truck drivers and cleaners from Mumbai and Nashik were screened for cancer and other necessary health checkups were done. Truck drivers have a stressful, challenging job and suffer from many health problems more often than the general population. The event was organized in the truck warehouse at Nashik-Vilholi in association with Shree Nasik Goods Transport company.
Giving more information about this initiative, Dr. Makrand Bhole, Oncologist and Surgeon from Platinum Hospital, Mulund said, " Platinum Hospital not only conducted cancer screening but also counseled these truck drivers to quit smoking. Truck drivers face a lot of challenges when it comes to their health. With a necessarily sedentary lifestyle, very few options when it comes to diet and a generally stressful job that keeps them away from home for extensive periods of time, it’s understandable that they will struggle to stay healthy at the same time they get addicted to tobacco products easily. The nicotine in tobacco makes it very difficult to quit the habit and the person becomes more addicted, so according to our studies truck drivers need counseling every six months. Tobacco starts to take over and within a few days the habit turns into an addiction. All of these factors increase the risk of several health conditions. In particular, both smoking and their lifestyle carry increased risks for cancer, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and several other conditions.”
Dr. Makrand Bhole, Oncologist and Surgeon from Platinum Hospital, Mulund added, Tobacco and tobacco products kill an estimated 8 million people worldwide and 1 million in India each year. 70 percent of truck drivers in Maharashtra are addicted to tobacco and like other smokers, truck drivers can quit smoking using several different approaches, including medicines, nicotine replacement therapies and smokeless tobacco. At the same time regular counselling, showing short movies on Tobacco side effects, screening camp will help truck drivers to quit tobacco products.
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