WHO Award For Rajasthan Health Dept.

The World Health Organization has selected the Rajasthan government’s Medical & Health Department for its award this year in recognition of its achievements in the field of tobacco control.

The department’s Additional Chief Secretary, Rohit Kumar Singh, will receive the award at a function to mark World No Tobacco Day in New Delhi on Friday.

The Health Department of the State is the only government body in the country which will be awarded for its tobacco-free initiatives.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has praised the department’s efforts for tobacco control, which, he said, were being acknowledged internationally, and affirmed that the State government would keep striving to accomplish the goal of a “healthy Rajasthan”.

WHO has selected five organisations from the South-East Asian region for the prestigious award. WHO representative to India Henk Bekedam said in a communique to Mr. Singh that individuals and institutions in each of the six WHO regions were recognised every year for their accomplishments in the area of tobacco control.

Three other organisations in the South-East Asian region have been selected from Thailand and Indonesia, while the Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, New Delhi, is also among the recipients of the award.

Many campaigns

The Medical & Health Department launched several campaigns against tobacco consumption at places such as schools, colleges, police stations and government offices during 2018-19.

As part of the tobacco-free initiatives, 1.13 crore people took a pledge against tobacco consumption at the events held in 1.56 lakh government institutions on January 30 this year, marking Martyrs’ Day.- The Hindu