Road Safety Initiative
According to the road transport and highways ministry, half a million accidents are reported in India every year, in which 150,000 people lose their lives. A long awaited Motor Vehicles Amendment Act 2019 that introduces several amendments in the 30-year-old law has been passed by the Lok Sabha on 23rd July 2019 and Rajya Sabha on 31st July 2019.
The amendments mainly focus on issues relating to improving road safety, citizens’ facilitation while dealing with the transport department, strengthening rural transport, last-mile connectivity and public transport, automation and computerization and enabling online services. We are now ensuring that MVAA 2019 be implemented in all states for safer roads and prevent and minimise road accidents.
Tobacco Intervention
Tobacco products are easily available at every nook and corner. Easy availability is causing an increased use of tobacco and tobacco related products among all sections of the society. The harmful effects of tobacco are not unknown and therefore there is an urgent need to decrease the use of tobacco. So, one of the important steps taken towards this is vendor mapping in various states with support from network of state partners.
Another effort of Consumer VOICE is sensitization of stakeholders through evidence based data to have laws to facilitate selling of tobacco through licensed shops so that one can put a curb on the mushrooming of tobacco stores everywhere. Consumer VOICE is also working towards tobacco intervention focused on youth and children.
Hypertension Management
Hypertension (HTN) is the most prevalent non-communicable disease in both developed and developing countries including India. Uncontrolled blood pressure is one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) such as heart attacks and stroke, and are responsible for one-third of total deaths in India. Raised blood pressure is among the most important risk factors for CVDs.
Moreover, it remains poorly controlled due to low awareness about hypertension, lack of appropriate care through primary care and poor follow up. We work with youth, women and other vulnerable sections of the society and generate awareness on the importance of monitoring and controlling blood pressure.
Reducing alcohol consumption
In recent years, there has been a continuous increase in per capita alcohol consumption in India. According to a 2018 report by the World Health Organization (WHO), India’s per capita alcohol consumption rose from 2.4 litres in 2005 to 5.7 litres in 2016.
This growth can be attributed to factors such as changing demographics, improved living standards, higher incomes, shifting spending habits, and a growing culture of social drinking.
Educating consumers on responsible drinking is the way forward as it is understood that banning and elimination is not the real solution.
Safer Cars in India
Safer Cars in India is an initiative of Consumer VOICE as part of a global campaign for safer cars by Consumers International.
Consumer VOICE organized 15 workshops in the months of June and July, 2017, across India to demand for safer cars for consumers in India.
The pan-India campaign took place across 15 states from Jammu and Himachal Pradesh to Assam and Odisha which was aimed to reach out to over 5000 consumers.
