Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST) and pharma major Cipla are coming together to make the transport and energy utility’s workplaces tobacco-free. The tie-up marks World No Tobacco Day, observed on May 31 every year.
The anti-tobacco campaign directed at its workforce has been in place since 2014, says Dr. Anil Singal, chief medical officer, BEST, when it was found that more than half its employees were abusing tobacco. “Our aim is to rid 10,000 BEST staff of tobacco addiction by end-2018. After we started the drive in 2014, 3,000 employees have quit tobacco. We’re sure the current drive will only intensify our efforts.”
Cipla will be providing 500 employees with a 12-week nicotine replacement therapy kit, which includes Nicotex, a nicotine chewing gum. Dr. Singal said employees will be screened for the extent and nature of their tobacco dependence. “We’ve have noticed that in 90% of users, the addiction is psychological while it is physical for 10%. We’ll choose staff that fall in the latter category.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Two training camps for BEST medical officers have already been conducted by Cipla, at which they were instructed on conducting counselling sessions. Anshul Mishra, Category Director - Nicotex, Cipla Health Ltd., said, “Counselling is a must in the process of de-addiction. It’s difficult to quit a habit developed over 10 or fifteen years. Our association with BEST is a major step towards our goal to reduce tobacco consumption in the country by 20% by 2020.”
BEST has also set up a tobacco de-addiction centre in Dadar, where counselling sessions will be held. The Indian Cancer Society will be conducting oral examinations of all our staff and employees for the next two years and those found to be at risk of cancer will be referred to the Tata Memorial Hospital. Dr. Singal said, “We have also created a mobile app called Tobacco Free BEST, which will be installed on phones of all 40,000 employees by August 7. The app will provide notifications on the perils of tobacco addiction, and success stories of staff members who have quit.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Sunil Ganacharya, a BEST Committee member, said it is commendable that staff are being taken care of despite financial problems. “Our staff are the best brand ambassadors, and no initiative can be successful without BEST’s help,” He added that the drive will not be limited to one week.
Asish Chemburkar, chairman, BEST Committee, said the staff should be taken to Tata Memorial Hospital for visits. “Every week, we should take 20 to 25 employees and visit the hospital. The psychological impact of seeing cancer patients and the pain and suffering families go through will be far greater than speeches. Not just the staff, officers too should participate.”