New group founded in Georgia
Varun Thomas (l.) and Ajinkya Kulkarni (r.) founded the first EAT group in Georgia
Varun Thomas and Ajinkya Kulkarni, two medical students of Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy, were highly interested when reading about Education against Tobacco. Tobacco smoking is a serious problem in Georgia. That’s why Varun and Ajinkya contacted Benedikt Gaim, European coordinator of EAT, and started the first EAT- group within the same evening. Their vision: Spreading the project all over Georgia.
The first step towards this aim has already be done: Ikshwaki Kaushik, medical student at David Tvildiani Medical University,will establish the project at his academy, too. Others will follow within the next months.
Please introduce yourself and tell us what motivated you to found EAT/Georgia and EAT at Petre Shotadze Tbilisi medical Academy.
I am Ajinkya Kulkarni 23 years old, 6th year medical student. I am Varun Thomas 23 year old 4th year medical student studying at Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy, Tbilisi Georgia. Due to social norm many adolescents fall for this catastrophic monster of smoking and due to poor understanding of the consequences this monster engulfs not only one person but an entire family. Prevention and public health education in our opinion is the most important thing we as a medical students and doctors have to deliver and we are on a mission to make people achieve healthy and active lifestyle.
What is the smoking prevalence in Georgia?
After the soviet union collapse and Ruso-Georgian war, Georgia is evolving as independent and rapidly progressing nation. But According to WHO report published in 2016, prevalence of tobacco smoking in Georgia is 55.7% in males where as 5.3% in females. 26.0% males and 9.0% females prevalence is shown in adolescents. Certainly an alarming situation
What are the next steps to effectively start the EAT project at found EAT/Georgia and EAT at Petre Shotadze Tbilisi medical Academy?
Due to this serious need of the moment we as medical students started our local campaign ‘go green not sick’ through our university and now we are excited to join this new huge organization of Education against Tobacco. In this Digitalization Era , social media is an excellent tool to expand your work and reach maximum people. public awareness campaigns with animation or some interesting video tools and proper scientific explanation can be used to have control over this monster. Flash Mobs is also an excellent way to gather people’s attention. This fast and young generation in this era of digitalization and social networking is capable to create true wonders and we would love to contribute in that. The project EAT/Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy has already been registered and approved by the research and development department of our university, which will offer support in all possible ways. Currently we are working with other medical schools as well and planning on establishing this project nationwide. We are so excited for the positive future and achieve our goal of smoke/tobacco free Georgia.
Contact
ajinkyayo@gmail.com varunthomas@live.com
Facebook- group for all interested medical students of Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/190011868246261/
Facebook- group for all interested medical students of David Tvildiani Medical University:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1976598829281799/
For Updates please also visit the official facebook- page of EAT Georgia: