Every year, WHO recognizes individuals or organizations in each of the six WHO Regions for their accomplishments in the area of tobacco control. This recognition takes the form of WHO Director-General Special Recognition Award and World No Tobacco Day Awards.
WHO Director-General Special award
Tobacco Control Research Group, University of Bath, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Dr Harsh Vardhan, Hon’ble Minister, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Republic of India
African Region awardees
Professor Bontle Mbongwe, Anti-Tobacco Network, Republic of Botswana
Ministère de la Santé et de la Solidatité Nationale, Republic of Chad
Ms Heran Gerba Borta, Director General, Ethiopian Food and Drug Administration, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Ms Anne Kendagor, Acting Head of the Division of Tobacco Control, Ministry of Health, Republic of Kenya
The Eye Opener Women & Youth Foundation, Federal Republic of Nigeria
Ms Crescence Mukantabana, Founder and Executive Director, Reseau de Developpement des Femmes Pauvres (RDFP), Republic of Rwanda
Region of the Americas awardees
Equipo interinstitucional mSalud, Republic of Costa Rica
Fondo Nacional de Recursos, Eastern Republic of Uruguay
Dr Tania Cavalcante, National Cancer Institute and Executive Secretary of the National Committee for the Implementation of the WHO FCTC, Federative Republic of Brazil
Ministry of Health and Wellness, Saint Lucia
Ministerio de Salud Pública y Bienestar Social, Republic of Paraguay
Cities of Beverly Hills and Manhattan Beach in California, United States of America (shared award)
Eastern Mediterranean Region awardees
Her Royal Highness, Princess Dina Mired, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Dr Essam Elmoghazy, Chairman of Cairo Association against Smoking, Tuberculosis and Lung diseases - Egypt (CASTLE), Arab Republic of Egypt
Ministry of Health and Environment/ Public Health Directorate, Noncommunicable Diseases Prevention and Control Department, Tobacco Control Section, Republic of Iraq
Tobacco Control Cell, Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, Islamic Republic of Pakistan
HMC Tobacco Control Center, WHO Collaborating Center, State of Qatar
Dr Ali Hammad Alzahrani, Director of Tobacco Control Program in Makkah, Consultant Family Medicine, Secretary General of Makkah Tobacco Free Committee, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
European Region awardees
Mr Cornel Radu-Loghin, Secretary General, European Network for Smoking and Tobacco Prevention
Ministry of Health, Russian Federation
German Network of Tobacco Free Hospitals and Healthcare Services, Federal Republic of Germany
Dr Müşerref Pervin Tuba Durgut, Vice President of Health, Family, Labor and Social Affairs, Commission of the Grand National Assembly, Republic of Turkey
Tobacco Control Unit of the Catalan Institute of Oncology, Kingdom of Spain
South-East Asia Region awardees
Madhya Pradesh Voluntary Health Association, Republic of India
State Tobacco Control Cell, Uttar Pradesh, Republic of India
Muhammadiyah Central Board, Republic of Indonesia
Digital Broadcast Initiative Equal Access, Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
Dr Palitha Abeykoon, Former Chairman, National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol, Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
The Nurses’ Association of Thailand under the Royal Patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Srinagarindra, Kingdom of Thailand
Western Pacific Region awardees
Institute for Urban Indigenous Health: Deadly Choices, Australia
Qinhuangdao Municipal People’s Government, People’s Republic of China
Mr Han Kosal, Deputy Governor, Kampong Cham Province, Kingdom of Cambodia
Ministry of Health, Kingdom of Cambodia
Dr Francisco T Duque III, Secretary, Department of Health and Dr Rolando Enrique D Domingo, Director General, Food and Drug Administration, Republic of the Philippines (shared award)
Samoa Cancer Society, Independent State of Samoa