Author: chandan giri

The World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) 2025 was observed at Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences, in continuation to the grand celebrations of the last year of 2024, wherein a Tobacco Cessation Clinic was inaugurated as per the MOHFW directives.

The Departments of Community Medicine, Pulmonary Medicine, and Psychiatry of KIMS, KIIT University jointly observed the theme “Unmasking the Appeal” in the last week of May 2025. Various events were held to raise awareness among the general public with the involvement of interns, postgraduate students, and faculty members.

The Department of Community Medicine took the lead role as the Coordinating department and the following activities were undertaken as Interdepartmental initiatives both in the hospital as well as in the field practice areas of the department.

A pledge was read by Dr. Krishna Mishra, Associate Prof. Community Medicine, stating the firm conviction of health professionals to demean and discourage all Tobacco consumption, in any form, by any person.  A strong crowd of over 100 doctors attended this oath taking.

There were poster presentations by interns of the departments of Community Medicine, Psychiatry and Pulmonary Medicine covering various aspects of the WNTD 2025 theme. A role play in the local language was enacted by the Interns to showcase the deleterious effects of tobacco on health, and on families and it also emphasized the role of the family and peer group to strengthen cessation programmes in a very lucid and entertaining fashion.

The play was staged in the open Cafeteria amid Principal and Dean, Prof. (Dr.) R.C. Das; Medical Superintendent Prof. (Dr.) Manas Ranjan Behera and Deputy Medical Superintendent Dr. Aswini Sharma, besides key faculties of the 3 departments. They appreciated and applauded the students for their efforts. The attendees were the general public, caregivers, OPD attendees,  and at the end of the play the onlookers were encouraged to ask their queries and the same was addressed by the team.

A quiz was arranged by the Department of Pulmonary Medicine among the postgraduate students of all the three years. There were 4 teams in all and the quiz masters were Dr. Suman Kumar Jagaty (Associate Professor) and Dr. Swadip Mishra (Assistant Professor).The screening and counselling services were provided by the Departments of Pulmonary Medicine and Psychiatry at a dedicated hour and the services were availed by all those who visited the OPDs. Various banners displaying the valuable information, the available services and the need for the same were kept in conspicuous areas to grab attention of the maximum number of patients. Dr. Sushant Mishra (Assistant Professor in the Department of Pulmonary Medicine) rendered the screening and counselling services. The pictures for the same are attached below.

The World No Tobacco Day 2025 celebration at the Tobacco Cessation Clinic, Department of Psychiatry, KIMS, Bhubaneswar on May 31, 2025 had enthusiastic participation from departmental mental health professionals during a focused one-hour program centered on the WHO theme “Unmasking the Appeal: Exposing Industry Tactics on Tobacco and Nicotine Products.” Prof. (Dr.) Sudipta Das, Prof. (Dr.) Pranab Mahapatra, Dr. Udit Panda, Dr. Jigyansa Pattnaik, Dr. Sikha Adil, and Dr. Dibyendu Mohanty, along with all senior and junior residents, clinical psychologists, psychiatric social workers, nursing staff, and medical interns attended the event.

The program had detailed discussions on the theme and importance of World No Tobacco Day, with particular emphasis on non-pharmacological management approaches for tobacco cessation, including evidence-based behavioral interventions, counseling techniques, and psychological support strategies, while also addressing crucial aspects of stigma reduction associated with tobacco dependence to promote a supportive environment for individuals seeking cessation.

The celebration reinforced the institution’s commitment to combating tobacco use through a multidisciplinary approach, emphasizing how tobacco industries manipulate consumers, particularly youth, through deceptive marketing strategies and appealing product designs. The program successfully highlighted the role of mental health professionals in tobacco cessation, recognizing the complex interplay between tobacco dependence and psychiatric conditions, while demonstrating a unified approach to tobacco control essential for providing comprehensive care to individuals seeking to quit tobacco.

Dr. Sai Chandan Das, Associate Professor, envisaged the  event aimed to raise awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco use. As part of the observance, a screening camp was organized. Nearly 30 patients attended the camp, where they underwent free oral health check-ups conducted by Dr. Kiran Kumar Mishra from Dental College. Awareness sessions were conducted by Dr. V.K. Sengupta and other doctors, who highlighted the long-term consequences of tobacco use. Educational materials such as posters and banners were displayed to reinforce key messages.

The event received positive feedback from the local community, with many appreciating the department’s efforts in bringing such awareness activities to rural settings. Mr. Sangram, Senior Manager, played a pivotal role in facilitating all the logistics required for the event, significantly contributing to its overall success. The event concluded on a positive note, with a formal vote of thanks delivered by Dr. Chetan Agrawal, acknowledging the public for making the event impactful and meaningful.

There was an awareness talk about the various harmful effects of tobacco, the marketing tactics and available screening and counselling methods to tackle tobacco related diseases was delivered amongst the OPD attendees by Prof. (Dr.) Ipsita Debata and other faculty as well as PGs. The team was led by Prof. (Dr.) Ipsita Debata. She conducted a group discussion among the interested candidates and it was a quite interactive session. The way ahead for encouragement for cessation was re-enforced by Dr. Debata. Various IEC materials (some made by students) were used for the same. The OPD had a dedicated screening unit towards the observation of this day of public health importance. A rally was also organized to emphasize on the health hazards due to tobacco.

The insight of the health sector is to reduce the burden of tobacco-related diseases, especially among the youth. The quality of life, behavioral issues due to tobacco and tobacco product consumption, its effect on health, and methods to quit the same were explained to all those who seeked help. There were various banners and IEC materials put up across the various campuses of the institute to promote a tobacco free campus. The postgraduate students, Dr. Jyotiranjan Sahoo and Dr. Jyotiska Mukherjee(PGTs) played an active role in this activity.

The whole observation was supported by the faculty, PGs, staff and interns of all the three departments and came to a smooth on 31^st May after the above-mentioned series of events.

All three departments heartily acknowledged the support of the institutional and administrative heads in this public health campaign, and, as a note of appreciation, gave away an Appreciation certificate to the faculty, postgraduates and Interns who made the week so engrossing and participatory. A template of the same is attached herewith.

The Founder of KIMS, Prof. (Dr.) Achyuta Samanta; Dean and Principal of KIMS Hospital (AVM) Prof. Dr. Rama Chandra Das; Medical Superintendent Prof. (Dr.) Manas Ranjan Behera, HOD Community Medicine Prof. (Dr.) Sonali Kar; Pulmonary Medicine HOD Prof. (Dr.) Amrut Kumar Mohapatra; and Psychiatry HOD Prof. (Dr.) Sudipta Das’ joint efforts made the events indelible.

In a major achievement for the Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), doctors have successfully performed a rare allogeneic bone marrow transplant on a 17-year-old female patient diagnosed with Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare genetic blood disorder. She had been undergoing cancer chemotherapy for six months before being considered for a bone marrow transplant.

The procedure was an allogeneic bone marrow transplant, where healthy bone marrow from a donor is infused into a patient. In this case, the donor was the patient’s brother. The transplant was challenging due to the rarity of the disorder and the complex preparation involved, but it was carried out successfully by the expert team at KIMS.

This is one of the rare cases where an allogeneic bone marrow transplant has been performed for HLH in Odisha, marking a significant medical milestone for the state.

This success offers new hope for patients in Odisha who previously had to travel to other states for such advanced treatment. The procedure at KIMS was done at a much lower cost, making it more accessible for many families. The transplant was done at a significantly lower cost compared to private hospitals outside the state. Additionally, the procedure was covered under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, helping reduce the financial burden on the patient’s family.

Dr. Biswajit Bhuyan from the Department of Haematology and Dr. Palash Das from the Department of Paediatric Haematology at KIMS led the transplant. Their dedication and expertise were key to the success of this complex case.

The Department of Haematology at KIMS has been consistently treating critical cases of blood cancers and other blood disorders. It is well-equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and offers advanced care at an affordable cost, enabling patients from Odisha and neighbouring regions to receive world-class treatment close to home.

The Founder of KIIT, KISS & KIMS Dr. Achyuta Samanta has hailed the big achievement and has lauded the doctors and wished the patient a long and healthy life.