Cluster Anti-Tobacco DVD's
Anti-Tobacco Performance
Media Coverage March 2009 [PDF 8.7MB]
<Address by Cluster Doctor
Address by Health Minister
DVD Credits
The UKC collaboratively commissioned and produced an awareness DVD to raise awareness about the dangers of smoking. This was a great example of what a network can achieve when they work together. It had local actors, local dances, and global message to QUIT. The DVD drew on different skills from different programs. One cluster program was involved in videography, another program in song writing, another program helped with the links with the government, and still another with the actual health message.
On March 18, this DVD was launched at a high level event in Dehradun to which the State health secretary, Dr Anil Sharma, and other senior figures attended. The anti smoking campaign was covered in 10 newspapers and on 2 TV channels. This best practise example demonstrated how small programs, by networking, can undertake significant projects, produce substantive public health materials and effectively engage the formal government sector.
AN INITIATIVE OF THE CHGN UTTARAKHAND CLUSTER
Worldwide smoking kills 6.3 million…more than HIV, Malaria or TB. Smoking in India 10 lakh people die from smoking each year and this is growing. Smoking will kill 33-50% of people that smoke on an average of 15 years early and is the leading preventable cause of death in Australia, the UK and other western countries. As the epidemiological transition takes place smoking in India will grow as a cause of death. Already in India more people die from chronic diseases and accidents than from infectious diseases.
Western countries have introduced tough anti-smoking laws. This has squeezed tobacco companies but they have been able to compensate and target poor and developing countries like India. Nationally, India has grasped the gravity of this threat and on October 2 banned smoking in public places. However, the rural communities where we work have a low level of awareness and are particularly vulnerable to tobacco companies and marketing. In terms of community health we all know that immunizations save lives. How many? Well we have to immunize about 150-300 kids to save one life. In tobacco control we only need to help 2-3 people quit to save one life. Now that is great return on an investment of resources. Given this background the CHGN Uttarakhand decided to commission the production of a Anti-Smoking Educational DVD particularly for the use of the Christian programs of Uttarakhand state.
Objectives of the DVD
- To decrease smoking initiation and therefore incorporate an element of primary prevention (stopping people starting)
- To raise awareness about the various dangers of smoking and the importance to health and wellbeing of quitting smoking. That is secondary prevention (helping people quit)
- To incorporate Christian principles and values in the DVD in order to help facilitate this program
- To create a culturally appropriate and targeted resource for the regions of the Gharwal and Uttarakhand (language, culture, setting, and actors to come from the Ghrawal)
- To provide a useful and contextually appropriate resource for each of the programs to be able to use in conjunction with other materials and approaches to decreasing tobacco consumption
- To Launch the DVD at the March 2009 meeting and therefore raise awareness about smoking and also raise the profile of the cluster and Christian programs
The Target group:
The cluster feels that the target group should be particularly at the younger generation. The video should therefore be appropriate for young adolescents, teenagers and middle school kids.
Ownership and Usage of the DVD
The DVD would need to be a resource that can be used in conjunction with other anti smoking activities and programs. It would be a useful adjunct or starting point for anti smoking campaigns and not a substitute for other activities. The DVD is being commissioned by the cluster and would therefore be owned by the cluster. The cluster would be able to distribute it see fit.