Building a Tobacco-Free India Requires Public Health Champions: PVCHR’s Call for Action on NCDs
Building a Tobacco-Free India Requires Public Health Champions: PVCHR’s Call for Action on NCDs By PVCHR | World No Tobacco Day On World No Tobacco Day, the People's Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR) reiterates that the fight against tobacco is not only a public health issue but also a human rights issue. Across India, millions of people continue to suffer from preventable Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory illnesses, stroke, and diabetes—many of which are directly linked to tobacco consumption and exposure. India carries one of the world's largest burdens of NCDs. These diseases not only claim lives prematurely but also push vulnerable families into poverty due to catastrophic healthcare expenses. The impact is especially severe among marginalized communities, where access to healthcare, awareness, and preventive services remains limited. For PVCHR, the issue of NCDs is deeply connected to dignity, equality, ...