MUMBAI: As many as 1,400 BEST employees, mainly drivers and conductors, who showed early signs of oral cancer were saved due to timely intervention by the undertaking’s medical department and its Tobacco Mukt campaign in recent months.
Five employees went out of their way to create awareness and ensure that 5,000 fellow staffers quit the tobacco habit. These five Samaritans—Chakradhar Godse (Mulund depot), Dhananjay Shedge (Gorai), Ravindra Shete (Mumbai Central), Sitaram Dudhane (Deonar) and Laxman Shete (transport & engineering department)—were among those mentioned for special recognition on BEST Din on Wednesday.
“Two were tobacco addicts. They fought their battles and then worked to save colleagues. They have worked wonders,” said BEST chief medical officer, Dr Anil Kumar Singhal. He said the department was tackling the tobacco menace, wherein nearly 50% from traffic division chewed it or smoked bidis/cigarettes in 2012. “The number has fallen drastically, from 12,500 addicts to only 3,000 now. Many retired, so the number has gone down. But 5,000 kicked the habit lately and 1,400 were saved from oral cancer,” he said.
Three staffers are undergoing treatment for cancer at Tata Memorial Hospital, but the larger picture showed that intervention by the department, hospital doctors and Indian Cancer Society prevented many deaths. “Tobacco Mukt campaign has been successful. We are striving to get the remaining 3,000 to quit by 2020,” he said.
“BEST’s success is a great model for the others to emulate. For government employees or corporates, where health insurance cover is provided, tobacco users can cause a huge financial burden. It is, therefore, important to work with them and help them quit, rather than just motivate and create awareness,” said Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, deputy director, Centre for Cancer Epidemiology at Tata Memorial Centre.
Five employees went out of their way to create awareness and ensure that 5,000 fellow staffers quit the tobacco habit. These five Samaritans—Chakradhar Godse (Mulund depot), Dhananjay Shedge (Gorai), Ravindra Shete (Mumbai Central), Sitaram Dudhane (Deonar) and Laxman Shete (transport & engineering department)—were among those mentioned for special recognition on BEST Din on Wednesday.
“Two were tobacco addicts. They fought their battles and then worked to save colleagues. They have worked wonders,” said BEST chief medical officer, Dr Anil Kumar Singhal. He said the department was tackling the tobacco menace, wherein nearly 50% from traffic division chewed it or smoked bidis/cigarettes in 2012. “The number has fallen drastically, from 12,500 addicts to only 3,000 now. Many retired, so the number has gone down. But 5,000 kicked the habit lately and 1,400 were saved from oral cancer,” he said.
Three staffers are undergoing treatment for cancer at Tata Memorial Hospital, but the larger picture showed that intervention by the department, hospital doctors and Indian Cancer Society prevented many deaths. “Tobacco Mukt campaign has been successful. We are striving to get the remaining 3,000 to quit by 2020,” he said.
“BEST’s success is a great model for the others to emulate. For government employees or corporates, where health insurance cover is provided, tobacco users can cause a huge financial burden. It is, therefore, important to work with them and help them quit, rather than just motivate and create awareness,” said Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, deputy director, Centre for Cancer Epidemiology at Tata Memorial Centre.
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