World No Tobacco Day Awareness Event at SDM Public School
On May 20, 2024, the Department of Community Medicine at the imalayan Institute of Medical Sciences (HIMS), Swami Rama Himalayan University (SRHU), conducted a visit to SDM Public School (SDMPS) in Pratitnagar, Dehradun, Rishikesh, as part of the World No Tobacco Day celebrations. The visiting team comprised Dr. Shaili Vyas (Professor), Dr. Abhay Srivastava (Assistant Professor), Dr. Neha Sharma (Assistant Professor), and MSc Epidemiology students Rahul Negi, Sheelendra Yadav, and Gargi Tyagi.
The aim of the visit was to raise awareness about the dangers of tobacco use and to promote a tobacco-free lifestyle among students. Various activities were organized between two schools, SDMPS (English medium) and SDMIC (Hindi medium), to engage the students and emphasize the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle free from tobacco.
A Fitness Challenge Test was conducted, featuring Utkatasana for girls and the Plank Test for boys, with the winners of both rounds participating in a final Kapalbhati yoga session. This activity evaluated the students' physical health and encouraged them to stay fit. Ruchi secured first place, Rahul came in second, and Vikas achieved third place.
An Extempore Competition titled "Celebrities Championing Tobacco-Free Lifestyles" saw participants delivering impromptu speeches on the role of public figures in advocating for a tobacco-free society. The students demonstrated their understanding of the topic and presented insightful views on the positive impact of celebrities on public health. Prerna won first place, Sheetal took second place, and Ishika came in third.
A Quiz Competition between teams from SDMPS and SDMIC covered various aspects of tobacco-related health issues, statistics, and preventive measures. This competition fostered a healthy competitive spirit and deepened the students' knowledge about the hazards of tobacco. Himanshu won first place, Saksham secured second place, and Suman came in third.
The events were conducted under the expert supervision of esteemed faculty members from the Department of Community Medicine, including Prof. Dr. Shaili Vyas, Dr. Abhay Srivastava, and Dr. Neha Sharma. The principal of SDMPS, Mr. Shasank Chamoli, and a representative from SDMIC, Mr. Anirudh
