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 Awards, World No Tobacco Day Awards, and in 2023, one WHO Director-General’s Special Recognition Certificate.
WHO Director-General Special awards
- Dr Odete Maria Freitas Belo, Minister of Health, Timor-Leste
- Dr Reina Roa Rodríguez, Focal Point for Tobacco Control, Ministry of Health, Panama
WHO Director-General’s Special Recognition certificate
- His Excellency Prof Ali Mrabet, Minister of Health, Tunisia
African Region awardees
- Dr Edwin Gorataone Dikoloti MP, Botswana
- Mr Omar Badjie, ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Focal Person for Tobacco Control, Gambia
- Ms Sprina Robi Chacha, Kenya
- Mr Anthony Muthemba, Head of the Tobacco Control Unit of the Nairobi City County, Kenya
- Migori County Government, Kenya
- Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Sierra Leone
Region of the Americas awardees
Shared award Brazil:
- ACT Promoção da Saúde
- Center for Studies on Tobacco and Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation
Shared award Colombia and Mexico:
- Blanca Llorente Carreño, Directora de Investigación en la Fundación Anáas, Colombia
- Luz Reynales Shigematsu, Jefa del Departamento de Prevención y Control del Tabaquismo en el Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, México
Shared award Mexico:
- Salud Justa Mx
- Polithink
- Coalición México SaludHable
- Comunicación, Diálogo y Conciencia SC – Códice
- Refleacciona con Responsabilidad AC
Shared award Uruguay:
- Centro de Investigación para la Epidemia del Tabaquismo – CIET
- Sociedad Uruguaya de Tabacología -SUT
Eastern Mediterranean Region awardees
- Dr Michel Mawad, President, Lebanese American University, Lebanon
- Dr Mohammed Bin Saif Al-Hosni, past Chair, ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Tobacco Control Committee and Undersecretary for Health Affairs (retired), Oman
- Dr Kholoud Ateeq Al-Mutawaa, Head of Non Communicable Diseases Division, Ministry of Public Health, Qatar
- Dr Hani Al Gouhmani, Former EMR Regional Coordinator, The Framework Convention Alliance (FCA)
- Ministry of Health and Prevention, United Arab Emirates
European Region awardees
- Ms Suzanne Gabriels, Fondation contre le Cancer, Belgium
- Professor Panagiotis Behrakis, Smoke Free Greece, Greece
- Dr Jamilya Sadykova, Public fund “Temekisiz”, ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ coalition “For smoke-free Kazakhstan”, Kazakhstan
- Dr Reinskje Talhout, ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Netherlands
- ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Institute of Public Health and its Anti-Tobacco Working Group, Slovenia
South-East Asia Region awardees
- State Tobacco Control Cell (STCC), Government of Meghalaya, India
- Centre for Multi-Disciplinary Development Research Dharwad, India
- Indonesian Multiculture Farmers Forum (FPMI), Indonesia
- ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Statistical Office, Thailand
Western Pacific Region awardees
- Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, Cambodia
- Cultural and Social Committee, ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Assembly, Lao People’s Democratic Republic
- Senator Pia S. Cayetano, Philippines
- Ministry of Health, Vanuatu
Shared award Fiji:
- Ministry of Health and Medical Services
- Fiji Revenue and Customs Service
- Fiji Police Force
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