CONFERENCE PROCEEDING
Putting the NTCP mechanism to work: Interdepartmental coordination to ensure 100% Tobacco-Free Village implementation in Amreli District, Gujarat
 
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1
Faith Foundation, Vadodara, India
 
2
State Tobacco Control Cell, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India (MoHFW), Government of Gujarat, Gandhinagar, India
 
3
District Tobacco Control Cell, Amreli, India
 
 
Publication date: 2025-06-23
 
 
Tob. Induc. Dis. 2025;23(Suppl 1):A202
 
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ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Tobacco use poses significant health, social, and environmental issues. Amreli district, in Gujarat's Saurashtra region, has a population of around 1.51 million people (Census 2011), spread across 603 villages in 11 talukas. Amreli, known for its proactive initiatives, has excelled in executing state directives for initiatives such as ToFEI, Tobacco-Free Village, and Tobacco-Free Youth Campaign, displaying its dedication to promoting healthier communities with tobacco control programs.
METHODS: The Tobacco-Free Village (TFV) campaign in Amreli district followed national, state (STCC), and district-level (DTCC) orders issued in September 2024. With technical support from Faith Foundation for translation of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) guidelines into the vernacular language – Gujarati, District tobacco control cell Amreli engaged key stakeholders including health department officials and mechanism, Panchayati Raj, Education department. On the 2nd Oct 2024, 603 Village-Level Coordination Committees (VLCCs) were formed and led by Village sarpanch, conducted awareness campaigns through health talks, rallies, street plays, puppet shows, and IEC material distribution, incorporated tobacco control in Gram Sabha meetings, facilitated the passage of tobacco-free resolutions, appointed Village Tobacco Control Ambassadors, and provided capacity-building training on tobacco-related legislation for effective implementation. Compliance of tobacco-free village will be monitored quarterly by DTCC.
RESULTS:
  • 603 VLCCs established across the district.
  • 603 Gram Sabha meetings conducted for stakeholder sensitization.
  • 603 Village Tobacco Control Ambassadors designated.
  • 18847 stakeholders/individuals participated in awareness campaigns across all the villages level institutions namely CHC/PHC, Schools, Panchayat house etc.
  • 603 villages passed tobacco-free village resolutions.
  • 42 villages officially declared as tobacco-free village.

CONCLUSIONS: The "Tobacco-Free Village" Amreli District demonstrates the effectiveness of collaborative and community-driven strategies in achieving tobacco control especially GO- NGO collaboration. The widespread participation and successful implementation highlight the potential for similar programs to create healthier environments. This model has a scope of replicability across the state.
eISSN:1617-9625
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