Every year, on 31 May, WHO marks World No Tobacco Day, highlighting the health risks associated with tobacco use and advocating for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption. The Department of Public Health Dentistry, Indira Gandhi Institute of Dental Sciences, Puducherry in association with Indian Dental Association, Puducherry Branch has been organizing World No Tobacco Day Road Rally for the 8 Consecutive years, to create awareness on tobacco related health problems among common man.
This year, the World No Tobacco Day Road Rally was organized by Indian Dental Association combining all the Dental colleges in Pondicherry viz. Mahatma Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Dental Sciences, Gorimedu, Sri Venkateshwara Dental College and Hospital, Ariyur and Indira Gandhi institute of Dental Sciences, Pillayarkuppam. The rally was inaugurated by Dr.Carounanidhy Usha, Principal , IGIDS, Dr.Srinivasan, IDAPresident and Dr.Ravishankar, IDA- Secretary, Pondicherry branch.
The rally was organized with the aim to create awareness among general public about harmful effects of tobacco related habit and to submit a memorandum to the Government of Puducherry containing list of rules and regulations that can be implemented and to reduce the use of tobacco among young adult and to stress on this year’s theme “Stop illicit trade of tobacco products”. In this road rally, about 200 dentist and dental students participated. The road rally started at Anna statute and ended at Gandhi statute in the beach via Nehru Street, Mission Street. The students had prepared their own placards and various health education materials to create awareness to the public. Innovative pamphlets with anti-tobacco usage message was prepared and distributed to people watching the rally.
STREET PLAY AT NEW BUS STAND, PUDUCHERRY
Street play depicting the social effects of tobacco usage. The play was enacted by students and interns of Indira Gandhi institute of Dental sciences, Pillayarkuppam. The story was on how young students fall into the trap of tobacco habit during college and how the habit is affecting their future and family life. The street play had a good response on the general public. One of the onlookers appreciated the play and also pledged to stop his 15 year habit also asked for guidance to quit the tobacco habit.
