Health Ministry, WHO laud Meghalaya model as prog activates 1,030 VHCs in first year across EKH and WJH
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 11: Setting a new milestone, Meghalaya has achieved a national first in community-led tobacco control with 264 Village Health Councils (VHCs) complying with the criteria of the Tobacco-Free Villages (TfV) programme, earning the state plaudits from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare as well as the World Health Organization.
Implemented across two pilot districts — East Khasi Hills and West Jaintia Hills — the initiative is a National Health Mission (NHM) Meghalaya programme undertaken in collaboration with the Meghalaya State Rural Livelihoods Society (MSRLS) and in partnership with Sambandh Health Foundation (SHF).
In the first year, a commendable 1,030 VHCs participated in the TfV programme. The Meghalaya Tobacco-Free Village programme, designed by NHM Meghalaya and SHF in February 2024, consists of six annual activities to be undertaken by each VHC. The “Meghalaya Model” draws on recognised global frameworks — WHO FCTC Articles 8, 12, 14, and 16, CDC Best Practices for Comprehensive tobacco control, and established behaviour-change theories (Nudge Theory, Social Norms Theory, Health Belief Model).
Every year, an estimated 8,000 people in Meghalaya die due to tobacco use.
Launched in May 2024 following an MoU between NHM Meghalaya and SHF, the TfV programme mobilises VHCs to appoint TfV Nodals who get community resolutions passed and conduct awareness drives. In early 2025, implementation was further strengthened by engaging the Community Gender & Health Activists (CGHAs), a village cadre of the MSRLS, deepening last-mile reach in the two districts.
Senior official from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Dr L Swasticharan (DDG & Director, Emergency Medical Relief) and Dr Ankita Piplani, WHO Consultant, New Delhi, visited multiple villages and said they were “impressed by the outcomes”, commending the community-driven model. They were shown around by Dr Nabaneeta Mawrie, State Nodal Officer, NTCP, Dr Bibiana, District Nodal Officer, Marbud (State Consultant) and the SHF team.
It is pertinent to mention here that the TfV programme empowers VHCs to make their villages tobacco-free by appointing a TfV Nodal (CGHA/VHC member) and holding meetings to discuss and raise awareness with villagers, besides a joint declaration signed by the VHC chairperson and school principals affirming no sale of tobacco near schools, issuing orders for no smoking in public places, installing signage/IEC in public places, and running awareness drives in the community.
A village is declared tobacco-free after completing 5 of 6 prescribed activities with verified compliance.
Dr Nabaneeta Mawrie, SNO, NTCP, said, “With 264 Tobacco-Free VHCs, Meghalaya is setting a national benchmark for community-owned public health.”
On the other hand, Abhishek Sunar, TfV Project head, SHF, said, “This success belongs to village leaders and Nodals, who turned resolutions into reality for the health of their villages.”
As Year 2 begins (September 2025), NHM and SHF will scale the model to more villages, sustain compliance, and further reduce tobacco harm across the state.