Jhunjhunu District Cancer Control Society (JDCCS)

jhunjhunu Smoke Free Abhiyan By jivem

Global Youth Meet 2006 (14 Nov. – 19 Nov.)

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Message From.......

(The establishment of JDCCS and collaborative activities with Rajasthan Cancer Foundation, Jaipur- RCF) 

1.      July 14, 2005- RCF held District Cancer Control Program at Jhunjhunu in collaboration with local district administration and the office of the CM & HO. The first one and a half hours session was held with local administration and media along with local clubs, NGOs, etc. It was agreed to hold another activity shortly to devise a collaborative action plan for the district for an effective cancer control. It was followed by another 4 hours workshop for the doctors and the paramedics for empowerment in cancer control. The key persons were the District Collector, Mr. B.S. Detha and the CM & HO, Dr. R. B. Singh.  

2.      November 19, 2005- RCF concluded the second phase of District Cancer Control Programme at Jhunjhunu in collaboration with the District Administration, as a follow-up activity to its first phase held on July 14, 2005 at the District Collectorate. About 20 institutional heads, district officials and local medical specialists participated under the coordination of district CM&HO and PM&HO, and under the leadership of Additional District Magistrate, Mr. K.L. Swami. It decided to constitute a district cancer control society under the chairmanship of the district collector after his affirmation. It affirmed the participation by RCF in the body as a technical resource and should provide the necessary resource to meet with the needs of RCF to fulfill this role.  

3.      December 24, 2005- RCF was invited to interact with health professionals and NGOs (~50) of the district on the Referral Guidelines and Protocols, in cancer management specifically, under the auspices of the offices of CM & HO and Joint Director, RHSDP, Jhunjhunu. The inaugural session was presided by the Deputy District Chief (‘UpJila Pramukh’- a political appointment in Panchyati Raj governance) who made it a point to stay throughout the interaction and has assured to organize an empowerment session for all the Panchayats of the district. The interaction helped RCF to proceed further with our objective to establish the district cancer control programme, began in July 2005.  We intend to follow it up with the office of the District Collectorate to expedite the proceedings to establish cancer society and the cancer clinic in the district hospital locally. 

4.      December 24, 2005- RCF interacted with the Police personnel (~25) of  Jhunjhunu at the Reserve Police Line on tobacco control. Besides their education and which motivated a few to decide to quit it (all of them were tobacco users), it educated us also in their attitude towards their non participation in the enforcement of the National Tobacco Control Law. Besides, their being on 24 hours duty, thankless mostly and underpaid, the tobacco control is not at all a priority besides an apprehension that rather than being rewarded, the higher ups may reprimand for an unwarranted act. There is awareness that such a law has come into force but its details were not known (not even to those in the preceding group- s.no. 254, an elite group socially).  

5.      January 21- Further interaction by RCF at the Jhunjhunu Collectorate to decide on establishment of Cancer Control Services at the District hospital, Jhunjhunu along with establishment of Jhunjhunu District Cancer Control Society (JDCCS). The District Collector chaired the session; the participants were the officers of the medical and health department along with local NGOs and the local media. It was decided that the proposed cancer services shall begin after its formal inauguration on 22^nd February to coincide with the Cancer Survivors Day Celebrations. The JDCCS shall be registered meanwhile with the District collector as its Chairman and the NGO representative as its Secretary. Mr. Rajan Chowdhary, the NGO representative was nominated as the Coordinator for enhancing the interaction between different agencies meanwhile. 

6.      February 22- The facilitation by RCF got realized to establish Jhunjhunu District Cancer Control Society (JDCCS) to set up the District Cancer Control Program (DCCP), a maiden achievement for the State through the collaborative effort of District administration, District Health Services, Local NGOs and RCF. Along with the Speaker of the State Assembly and the sitting local Member of Legislative assembly, Honorable Mrs. Sumitra Singh inaugurated Cancer Clinic at the local district hospital on this day. This shall bring forth a maiden existence of the cancer control services at the secondary level of Health Care. The District Collector and Chairman of JDCCS, Mr. B.S. Detha, the Chief Medical and Health Officer, Dr. R.B. Singh, Dr. L.K.Sharma, the Principal Medical and Health Officer at the District Hospital, and Mr. Rajan Chowdhary and Mr. Sanjeev of  local NGO, the coordinator and the Secretary of JDCCS were the key persons for the distinct achievement of RCF. Mr. Mandeet Singh, the Project Officer of the sponsor of DCCP of RCF, Narottam Sekhsaria Foundation, Mumbai was present on this occasion. All the participants appreciated the generosity of the donor. RCF will continue its monitoring and evaluation as already decided by the JDCCS.  

7.      February 22- RCF and JDCCS held the second interaction with the local police officials and the constables under training from the entire district of Jhunjhunu through the catalysm of the Superintendent of Police (SP), Mr. Sangathir at the Reserve Police Lines, on the issue of enforcement of the rules of the National tobacco control law. It emerged, beyond their earlier observations of the need for community education and participation in this low priority area for the short-staffed department that if the local NGOs participate to educate the teaching institutions in particular about the rules for the minors, can act as facilitator for the entire district. While the participants recognized that police needs to register more cases of the violation of the rules, the rules should be widely publicized by the district administration and the media, so that the police is not criticized unduly ‘in its action for the right reasons’. They also suggested that the local NGOs develop the methodologies like exhibitions, street plays, etc. in this regard. RCF recognized that tobacco cessation is the need for the police personnel and shall develop and submit an action plan in this regard. Mr. Shiv Raj Singh, the Deputy Superintendent of Police, moderated the session in very commendable manner.  

8.      March 9-  RCF held press conference with the local media in collaboration with Jhunjhunu District Cancer Control Society (JDCCS) to seek public participation in the cancer control effort initiated at the district HQ along with its utilization of the cancer clinic started last month. It was also realized that the cancer clinic may not be the most appropriate step for a district owing to its dependence on health professionals who are not the keener participants as the public and NGOs will be. And, hence, it was proposed in person to the JDCCS officials that it may consider establishing a district cancer nodal center, and the cancer clinic activities be supported through this center. It received satisfactory media coverage along with the assurance of its support to the ongoing program. 

9.      March 9- Invited as the key facilitator in the district level workshop of the NGOs organized under the auspices of RHSDP, Jhunjhunu to discuss the issues related to cancer and tobacco control along with referral system for cancer cases. It was interactive session with satisfactory participation of the representatives. The need for an ongoing support to this activity is obvious and shall need suitable funding from the local community. It was agreed that RCF shall submit an advocacy proposal in this regard to JDCCS to implement it throughout the district.

  10.   March 9- Held another interactive session with the police personnel including participation of their spouces. The initiative had support of Dr. Bhavna Detha, a psychologist and a counselor and Mrs. Satya Sangatheer, a volunteer; besides their being wives of the district collector and the superintend of the police respectively, and their ongoing involvement in the welfare of the women of these police personnel provided a leadership initiative to further unfold the issues related to tobacco cessation specifically. The family circumstances, its support to the cessation needs and identification of the triggers to tobacco usage along with their resolve to work on regularly and work for tobacco cessation were the useful outcomes. It was resolved that the Performa submitted by RCF in this regard to the district administration computer section to prepare a software and to develop a data base on the entire police force of the district shall be implemented by Mrs. Detha and Mrs. Satya.to initiate a tobacco cessation program for the participants from the police personnel residing or attending at the reserve police lines at Jhunjhunu City. RCF shall send the cessation material to Dr. Bhavna for her to plan it. As a follow up it has been done and the district is gearing up to hold its first tobacco cessation workshop in the end of April, 2006. 

11    and 12. 14 and 28 May 2006- Under the auspices of Jhunjhunu District Cancer Control Society (JDCCS), RCF held TOTs in Tobacco control with Jhunjhunu district administration- its medical and health and literacy departments, NGOs and media at Jhunjhunu District Headquarter. The JDCCS team of Mr. Rajan Chowdhary, the District coordinator, Mr. Sanjeev Mahla, the Secretary and Dr. Bhavna Detha, a clinical psychologist, counselor and JDCCS volunteer coordinated these along with the Chief Medical and Health Officer, Dr. R.B. Singh under the leadership of the District Collector and Chairman JDCCS, Mr. B.S. Detha. The objectives of these workshops were to empower for: (i) developing human resource in tobacco cessation in the workshop held on 14 May; and (ii) developing resource in media for tobacco control advocacy and the maiden celebration of WNTD by Jhunjhunu district on 31 May. The plan is to establish tobacco cessation service at the local district hospital and extend tobacco control activities to the block level in collaboration with local Punchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Health Centers (SHC/ PHCs) through NGO initiative along with media support, in the year 2006-2007. Dr. Reddy’s Lab, Hyderabad, supported for the travel, stay and audio visual aids through area mangers, Mr. Sharique Khan, Bhopal and Mr. Sanjay Arora, Jaipur.   

 13. Collaborated with Jhunjhunu District Cancer Control Society empowered already in tobacco control to let it organize and celebrate WNTD locally. It held a rally with participation of entire district administration lead by the Collector and District Magistrate Mr. B.S. Detha himself, health professionals, local NGOs and media. It is first time in the history of the State of Rajasthan that the WNTD was celebrated by a district administration. Rajasthan State Office, Indian Oil Corporation Limited, provided Jaipur on the initiative of RCF to finance it its sponsorship. 

14. 29 July 2006- JDCCS organized a follow up workshop on cancer control with a specific objective to empower the collaborating NGOs and the individuals working at the block level.  It was decided that the local resource in tobacco control at the district HQ shall visit the respective blocks as per the itinerary to be proposed by the respective blocks in coordination with the JDCCS Secretariat. RCF began its weekly coordination with the local cancer clinic by the visits of Dr. Rakesh Gupta, the RCF Chairman and the surgical oncologist, to empower the clinicians’ at the local district hospital. The travel and video facilities were sponsored by M/s Bristol Myers Squibb, Oncology Division through Mr. Deepak Mishra, their State Executive.  

15. 5 August 2006- JDDCS held its General Body Meeting in the Collectorate under the Chairmanship of JDCCS Chair, the District Collector, Mr. B.S. Detha. The meeting assessed the progress made in last one year through the collaboration with RCF. It decided to train the doctors working at the block and PHC level in cancer control guidelines of RHSDP under the auspices of local CM & HO Office, develop and publish its materials on tobacco control; write slogans and messages in the education institutions (in collaboration with the O/o District Education Officer) and the hospitals up to CHC level for cancer control and tobacco control; bring about effective enforcement of tobacco control act, specifically for the notification of ban on smoking in public places and to ban the sale of tobacco products within 100 yards perimeter of all education institutions in collaboration with local police and NGOs; and promote local funding for tobacco control- Smoke-free Jhunjhunu by the next World No Tobacco Day (31 May 2007) and develop patients support group- to request ACS to hold Relay for Life activity at Jhunjhunu. It was attended by two cancer survivors who told their respective stories of successful treatment of oral cancer (Mr. Indraj) and palliation providing better quality of life to a father of another attendee (Mrs. Bharti from Khetri).  

16. 12 August 2006- RCF held a collaborative training program for the doctors (n=70) from entire Jhunjhunu district attending the monthly meeting held under the auspices of the O/o CM & HO. They were empowered in the preventive, palliative and detection activities as per guidelines and protocol of the State Referral System through the interactive workshop including the group activity in the concluding session. It was conveyed by the most participants to hold it as a day long activity and it was proposed to provide another opportunity to RCF and JDCCS the next month to built up on this session and complete the desired empowerment.  

17.  15 August 2006- The RCF Chairman, Dr. Rakesh Gupta was awarded the District Award for his meritorious services in tobacco- and cancer- control for Jhunjhunu district by the District Collector and Magistrate, Mr. B.S. Detha, at the Independence Day function held at Jhunjhunu Golden Jubilee Stadium.  

18. 19 August 2006- RCF and JDCCS held a collaborative meet with Sevajyoti, RR Morarka Charitable Trust at Navalgarh to empower the latter for the conduct of tobacco control activities at the block level (as was decided in the meeting held on 29 July to begin the tobacco control activity at the block level in all the blocks of the districts by the end of August 2006). About 30 participants including local municipal councilors, media and community persons attended it besides the staff and the volunteers of Sevajyoti. The event had satisfactory outcome in terms of an optimal empowerment as indicated through the participation and outcomes of the group activities held at the end of each session on: harmful effects of tobacco, tobacco avoidance, tobacco cessation, role of policy planners, enforcement of the national tobacco control law, community participation and media advocacy, and through the concluding group activity despite a communication gap observed at the local organizational level and the media coverage it received the next day which was unrelated and focused on cancer control through awareness and the key participants. It once again emphasized the need to interact beforehand and guide the local organizers for an effective media advocacy. It could have made them alter their pre-structured press note as instructed by their District liaison officer to the Project coordinator, an insight learned on the subsequent follow up meeting the next week.  

19. 19 August 2006- RCF held an empowerment session in Palliative Care and Cancer Pain Relief for three of the doctors working at the District Hospital- a senior general surgeon, an orthopedician and an ENT specialist. It was to be done earlier through an organized meeting but for the lack of the reciprocity so far of the Staff herein on DCCP overall and their participation in cancer control. Nonetheless the session was satisfying due to its interest observed in learning to implement palliative care concepts and provide an effective pain relief to the patients with advanced incurable cancers with an inability observed by the majority to afford the treatment, or investigations even, to qualify and opt for palliative care only as ‘the treatment option’ and despite non- availability of oral morphine locally.

 20. 19 August 2006- RCF held its first formal empowerment late-evening session for the JDCCS staff, the Secretary, and another four volunteers on the tools of cancer control- the needs assessment and planning, advocacy, collaboration, patient support and fund raising. It was well received and had satisfactory interactions despite a busy day. It was decided to carry on with this activity on a regular basis for an improved team working and to realize the outcomes finalized for the forthcoming year- (i) optimal enforcement of the rules on ban on smoking in public places through its recommended notification, and ban on sale of tobacco products within 100 yards of all education institution in Jhunjhunu City; and, (ii) development of patient support coordinating group.

 21. 26 August 2006- RCF and JDCCS held the follow up activity with the Project Coordinator of Sevajyoti at Navalgarh. It was decided that the tobacco cessation counseling center for Navalgarh block will become operational by the next week. The organization will also submit another press note to highlight the activity of the preceding week along with its two decisions- to begin the tobacco cessation center and to work for making Navalgarh Smoke-free by 31 May 2007, the next WNTD.  

 22. 26 August 2006- RCF participated in an invitational monthly block level meeting at Mehansar held under the auspices of RHSDP. About 60 participants were there- the local health professionals and health workers, the Panchayat and Gram Sabha officials, the community and media. The empowerment briefly focused on key issues in cancer control- tobacco control, detection of cancers and palliation. The most suitable strategies were suggested. A satisfying empowerment outcome was observed in the local doctor who had participated in their monthly meeting at Jhunjhunu City on 12 August and the RHSDP district official who has been closely associated with DCCP right from the beginning. The request of the participants was to come back again along with an assurance that they will exhibit the changes suggested through the proposed actions within 3 months.

 23. 26 August 2006- RCF and JDCCS held the selection for the students to recommend their participation in the Hriday-Shan sponsored Global Youth Meet at New Delhi and Agra from 14-19 November 2006. It was done as the group activity for 17 students nominated by three institutions (English medium) based on their study of the back-up learning material of Hriday- Shan and RCF provided to them 2 weeks ago through JDCCS. The selection process in interactive quiz-cum-learning activity of about two and a half hours was based on independent scoring by three judges (invited from another local NGO) on the replies given by each and every participant all of them had a fair chance to respond. The result of selection was declared at the end. The feed back from the participants and the faculty of these three students who were the observers was very positive and they committed to volunteer for JDCCS in its cancer control efforts- the tobacco control in particular besides their working for total health.

 24. 26 August 2006- RCF held another empowerment session for JDCCS Secretary and 2 volunteers in tools of cancer control along with related discussion and planning of the activities for the year (refer activity 20). It also decided to refer  to the forthcoming GBM (9 September 2006) the issues of the proposed alterations the funding agency (a charitable trust) has sought, the offer of a full time staff for a year by another NGO and the proposal to raise the funds locally through the youth volunteers from NSS and Scouts’ organization.  

 25. 2 September 2006*- Facilitated the media advocacy and the decision of the NGO, Sevajyoti at Navalgarh to begin with the local Tobacco Control Center along with Tobacco Cessation Counseling Unit from 4^th September 2006. It also reaffirmed its commitment to work for smoke-free Navalgarh- its strategic planning was assured in near future. The strength of the organization is its established grass-root working and local leadership in the health sector and an in-house financial resource- RR Murarka Charitable Foundation to depend upon.

 26. 2 September 2006- Interacted with the students of a primary school in a slum dwelling of Jhunjhunu; a painful experience but also a reality for the larger rural setting across the State wherein the children begin tobacco use between the ages of 5- 8 years and get habituated. The motivation for the use of mostly the smokeless tobacco (Jarda/ Gutkha) comes through the parents or peers. They purchase it directly from the shops either through their pocket money ‘unaccounted for tobacco use’ or when the parents send them to by tobacco products. In the strength of ~30, about 8 students were the habitual users. But, they all resolved to quit having learned its harmful effects. Also, they agreed to make their houses smoke-free. A video was made to use it as a resource when working with the enforcement officials ad policy planners. The activity was organized by JDCCS.

 27. 2 September 2006- Held a collaborative activity with Jhunjhunu International College with an objective to raise the youth group resource for JDCCS activities in tobacco control. The institute which held its inaugural activity for the NSS (National Service Scheme) unit of the Institution, organized it with: (1) an address to all its students on total health and their participation in community activities as volunteers; followed by, (2) an interactive session for its teachers to let them serve as a permanent human resource for the Institute, in particular for tobacco- and obssity- control. The Management (Mr. Dilip Modi, the Director along with board members) along with Principal and Vice Principal were present throughout the 2 hours activity. It was assured that the Institute will take up tobacco control as the NSS activity for the current year. The students also held a skit to highlight the problem of passive smoking in Bus (public transport); also, on display was a poster on comprehensive tobacco control prepared by a team of students. The JDCCS staff- the Secretary, Mr. Sanjeev Mehla, and the program coordinator, Mr. Jinesh Chowdhary, participated along with.

 28. 2 September 2006- Held another collaborative activity on Women Cancers with J B Shah Girls College, the oldest women institute of the district (established in 1982). About 15 faculty members participated along with 35 students. This 2 hours Community Development Program (CDP) had focused on empowerment of the participants in control of breast and uterine cervical cancers through early detection and advocacy. The Principal, Mrs. Madhubala Saxena agreed to the proposal for a long-term working by the Institute on this issue in collaboration with RCF and JDCCS. Dr. L.K. Sharma, a senior surgeon in the local district hospital participated along with the JDCCS staff- the Secretary, Mr. Sanjeev Mehla, and the program coordinator, Mr. Jinesh Chowdhary. Mrs Pragya Sharma was the catalyst along with the team of CDP.

 29. 2 September 2006- Interacted with the core group of JDCCS on volunteerism, as part of weekly training activity for the tools in cancer control as learned through ACSUs with the use of its material as the back-up resource. Now that JDCCS has about 7 participating members who have been empowered suitably, it was proposed that they give a thought and decide through their mid-week meeting to take up the charge of Advocacy, Collaboration, Fund raising, Survivor support and Volunteerism. The Governance aspect has set-in quite satisfactorily. During this activity, a visit by the District Rotary President, Dr. Shukla, a senior physician (TB & CD) and the Secretary of the Club resulted in a commitment of the Club for Smoke-free Jhunjhunu by the WNTD 2007. It was that its strategy planning will be held the next week, on 9 September. It was facilitated by the committed JDCCS member and an orthopaedician, Dr. S. K. Bhargava.