When was the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) launched by the Government of India?

Appeared in: MP CHO -2019 (Shift-2)

Explanation

The Government of India launched the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) in the year 2007-08.
This initiative was part of the 11th Five-Year Plan, with a pilot phase launched in 42 districts across 21 states.
The program's launch was a crucial step to facilitate the implementation of the national tobacco control law, COTPA 2003, and fulfill obligations under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

Option A: This year represents a period of ongoing activities and expansion of the NTCP, not its initial launch.
Option B: This is not the launch year of the NTCP. The rules prohibiting smoking in public places under the COTPA Act came into force on October 2, 2008, which falls in this period, but the program itself had already been launched.
Option C: This year is not the launch year of the NTCP. It relates to the integration of the National Cancer Control Programme with the broader NPCDCS, but not the specific launch of the tobacco control program.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain National Health Programmes in India as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses are pivotal in implementing NTCP at the community level by educating patients about the harms of tobacco and providing cessation support.
Using structured counseling techniques like the 5 A's (Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, Arrange) can significantly improve quit rates, even with brief interventions during routine patient interactions.
What if? If a patient is not ready to quit, the nurse should use the 5 R's (Relevance, Risks, Rewards, Roadblocks, Repetition) to build motivation, rather than being discouraged. The goal shifts from immediate cessation to encouraging a future quit attempt.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core of the question: It asks for the launch year of a specific national health program (NTCP).
Recognize this as a factual recall question, common in the Community Health Nursing subject area.
Access your knowledge of major Indian health programs and their timelines. It's helpful to create timelines for these programs during study.
Carefully differentiate between the date a law is passed (e.g., COTPA, 2003), the date a program is launched to implement that law (NTCP, 2007-08), and the dates specific rules under the law come into effect (e.g., smoking ban, 2008).
Eliminate options that represent later milestones or different programs.
Select the option that corresponds to the initial launch of the program in question.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: National Health Programmes in India
Stem keywords: National Tobacco Control Programme, NTCP, launched, Government of India
Lead-in keywords: When

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E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart C (pp 404-604 of 604) p. 162-164

Practise the full MP CHO -2019 (Shift-2)

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.