Mumbai round table seeks to make tobacco-free schools part of student health planning

A state-level multi-sector round table on strengthening tobacco-free educational institutions was held recently at the office of the Mumbai City Collector and District Magistrate. It was organised jointly by Salaam Bombay Foundation, National Service Foundation and Nashamukt Mandal. Experts said it is essential to make students' health part of planning.

Representatives of the departments of education, health, Food and Drug Administration, and social welfare and justice, the public health department of the municipal corporation, public health institutions, schools and civil society organisations took part. The discussion covered tobacco and nicotine use among adolescents and young people, effective implementation of TOFEI, coordination among departments, institutional responsibility and monitoring, and capacity building.

The chief chair of the event was Anchal Sood Goyal, Mumbai City Collector and District Magistrate. Additional Collector of Mumbai City Bappasaheb Thorat was also present. Speakers and panellists included Dr Mangesh Pednekar, director of the Healis public health institute; Sujata Khare, education officer of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation; Dr Himanshu Gupte, vice-president (health) of NSF; and Dr Nazneen Shaikh, assistant health officer (schools) of the municipal corporation. Deepak Patil and Narayan Lad, assistant general managers of SBF, and Varsha Vidya Vilas, general secretary of Nashamukti Mahamandal, were also present. Dr Abhiram Mehendale moderated.

The role of the education department in implementing TOFEI was a key issue. Ms Khare said the discussion covered important matters related to the day-to-day functioning of schools, academic arrangements and monitoring. It was stressed that making a school tobacco-free should not be limited to awareness campaigns. It must become part of a school's regular administration, monitoring and planning for students' health.

Priorities ahead include giving headmasters, teachers and non-teaching staff clear information on the TOFEI guidelines and on their roles and responsibilities. This information will also cover how to record tobacco-related problems. TOFEI indicator guidelines will be added to the regular monitoring of schools. Tobacco prevention will be included in health education, life skills and adolescent health programmes.

Teachers' capacity to recognise possible signs of tobacco or nicotine use among students will be increased, and reports and related systems will be prepared. Schools will be given the necessary IEC material, checklists and reports. Schools facing difficulties will get technical support and help. Best practices of schools doing effective work will be shared with other schools. A system of regular coordination among the health department, FDA, the municipal corporation and other departments concerned will also be developed.