SRINAGAR, MAY 31: In observance of World No Tobacco Day 2025, the Department of Public Health Dentistry, Government Dental College and Hospital, Srinagar, organized a comprehensive awareness, sensitisation, and counselling program on the ill effects of tobacco. The event was held at the Headquarters of Fire and Emergency Services, Batmaloo, Srinagar.
Under the guidance of Professor Dr. Sandeep Kaur Bali, Principal/Dean of Government Dental College and Hospital, Srinagar, the event was jointly organized by the Department of Public Health Dentistry and the Health Centre of Fire and Emergency Headquarters, Srinagar. The program aimed to highlight the harmful health impacts of tobacco use and promote cessation, particularly among fire and emergency service personnel, who are key frontline workers. The event featured a seminar focused on the dangers of tobacco consumption, including its strong link to life-threatening conditions such as oral cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and respiratory illnesses. Dr. Aasim Farooq Shah led the informative session, offering an in-depth discussion on tobacco use, addiction, and its implications for health.
The chief guest for the event, Raj Kumar, Deputy Director of Fire and Emergency Services, presided over the seminar. He addressed the gathering on the urgent need for ongoing awareness programs and the critical role such initiatives play in public health.
This impactful initiative was successfully supervised and supported by Dr. Ibrar Bashir, Medical Officer Incharge at the Fire and Emergency Services Health Centre, Jammu and Kashmir. More than 100 personnel from the Fire and Emergency Services attended the event, receiving sensitisation on tobacco-related health risks and the benefits of quitting. As part of the initiative, oral health examinations were conducted to screen for pre-malignant conditions commonly associated with tobacco use. Additionally, one-on-one counselling sessions were provided by specialists from the Department of Public Health Dentistry to support tobacco cessation. Expanding its outreach beyond the central event, the Department of Public Health Dentistry also organized simultaneous awareness campaigns at multiple satellite centers across the Kashmir region, including Sallar, Tangmarg, Fakir Gujri, Bagh-e-Islam, and Kalantra. These campaigns featured health talks and screenings by dental professionals and community health workers.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Aasim Farooq Shah, Head of the Department of Public Health Dentistry, stated, “Tobacco use remains one of the most preventable causes of death. It is crucial to educate individuals, particularly those in high-risk groups, about the dangers of tobacco and to provide accessible support for cessation.” He also underscored the significant economic burden imposed by tobacco, both through direct consumption and the healthcare costs arising from related diseases. Dr. Shah praised Professor Dr. Sandeep Kaur Bali for her unwavering support and visionary leadership, which has greatly strengthened the department’s public health outreach. He announced the upcoming establishment of new Tobacco Cessation Centres and reiterated the department’s commitment to a strong, community-focused work culture.