A 14-month tobacco control programme – VHAI PAT & APPLE Project has been launched under the Bloomberg Global Initiative. The project will be implemented across five locations in India – Delhi, Assam, Kerala, Orissa and Rajasthan from August 2007 – October 2008.

The project will be implemented across five locations in India – Delhi, Assam, Kerala, Orissa and Rajasthan. It will a coordinated campaign with other BGI partners like HRIDAY-SHAN/ AFTC, Healis-Sekhsaria Institute of Public Health and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt of India.

The project will strive to:

• build a strong, rooted and participatory campaign for tobacco control.
• implement a hard-hitting campaign programme through policy advocacy at the national and state levels.
• focus on coalition-building and networking with like-minded groups.
• conduct capacity building of VHAI network and monitoring and reporting of legislative violations at local levels.

The main activities under the project in coordination with other BGI partners will be:

• Capacity Building
• Policy Advocacy
• Networking and Mobilization
• National and State Resource Centres
• Mainstreaming of Tobacco control programmes