AIIMS Delhi Opens New Tobacco Cessation Clinic to Help People Quit Smoking
AIIMS New Delhi is set to open a new Collaborative Team-Based ‘Tobacco Cessation Clinic (TCC)’ at the New RAK OPD as part of the comprehensive ‘TOBACCO FREE AIIMS’ initiative. The dedicated Tobacco Cessation Clinic (TCC) will be opened on September 10, 2024.
Collaborative Effort
This initiative is a collaborative effort between the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) and the Department of Pulmonary, Critical, and Sleep Medicine, aimed at addressing the significant public health challenge posed by tobacco use in India.
Key Figures
Prof. M. Srinivas, Director, AIIMS Delhi, highlighted that the TCC is a crucial step in creating a healthier environment. Dr. Nirupam Madaan, Medical Superintendent, AIIMS, Delhi, announced that the clinic will be operational in Rooms 519 and 526 in the Department of Pulmonary Medicine in the A-Wing of the 5th floor of the New RAK OPD from September 10 and on every Tuesday morning thereafter. Registration will begin at 08:30 AM on the ground floor of the A-Wing of the New RAK OPD Building AIIMS Delhi.
Services Offered
Dr. Anju Dhawan, Prof. & Chief, NDDTC, AIIMS, Delhi, stated that the establishment of tobacco cessation services is a key objective of the National Tobacco Control Program (NTCP) and is in line with Article 14 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). The new TCC will offer comprehensive services that include pharmacotherapy, psychosocial interventions, and relapse prevention strategies.
Educational Platform
Additionally, the new TCC will provide an ideal platform to educate, orient, and sensitize medical and nursing students at AIIMS, New Delhi. Dr. Anant Mohan, Professor & Head, Department of Pulmonary, Critical, and Sleep Medicine, AIIMS Delhi, stated that tobacco use remains a leading cause of respiratory diseases such as COPD and lung cancer. The clinic will raise public awareness and provide essential medical and psychological support.
Public Health Crisis
Dr. Prabhoo Dayal, Professor & Additional Medical Superintendent, NDDTC, AIIMS Delhi, added that tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of death globally, responsible for over 8 million deaths annually, with more than 1.3 million lives lost in India each year. According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2 (GATS-2), 28.6% of Indian adults aged 15 and above currently use tobacco in some form. Notably, 55.4% of smokers and 49.7% of smokeless tobacco users are interested in quitting, and 92.4% of all adults recognize the severe health risks associated with smoking.
Holistic Approach
This multidisciplinary clinic will bring together specialists in addiction psychiatry, pulmonary medicine, alongside trained counsellors, nurses, and support staff to provide a holistic approach to tobacco cessation. In addition to individual consultations, the clinic will offer group sessions and distribute educational materials such as booklets, brochures, and handouts. Digital tools, including text messaging, will further support patients in their journey to quit tobacco.
Doubts Revealed
AIIMS -: AIIMS stands for All India Institute of Medical Sciences. It is a group of public medical colleges in India known for providing high-quality medical education and healthcare services.
Tobacco Cessation Clinic -: A Tobacco Cessation Clinic is a special place where doctors and other healthcare professionals help people stop using tobacco products like cigarettes.
Tobacco-Free AIIMS -: ‘Tobacco-Free AIIMS’ is an initiative to make the AIIMS campus free from tobacco use, promoting a healthier environment for everyone.
New RAK OPD -: New RAK OPD is a new outpatient department at AIIMS where patients come for consultations and treatments without being admitted to the hospital.
Pharmacotherapy -: Pharmacotherapy involves using medicines to help people stop smoking by reducing withdrawal symptoms and cravings.
Psychosocial interventions -: Psychosocial interventions are methods that involve talking to people and providing emotional support to help them quit smoking.
Relapse prevention strategies -: Relapse prevention strategies are plans and techniques to help people avoid starting to smoke again after they have quit.
National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre -: The National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre is a part of AIIMS that specializes in treating people who have problems with drugs and other substances.
Department of Pulmonary, Critical, and Sleep Medicine -: This department at AIIMS focuses on treating diseases related to the lungs, critical care, and sleep disorders.
Medical and nursing students -: Medical and nursing students are people who are studying to become doctors and nurses.
