NEW DELHI: India’s health ministry was honoured with the Bloomberg Philanthropies award for Global Tobacco Control in the ‘O’ category.
The award recognises efforts in helping tobacco control under a policy package of the World Health Organisation (WHO).
“The achievements recognised today reflect what’s possible when governments and civil society act decisively to protect health. These awardees have not only implemented proven tobacco control measures; they’ve also done so under complex circumstances including conflict and industry interference,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director General.
The award was presented by Michael R Bloomberg during a ceremony on June 23 at the World Conference on Tobacco Control in Dublin, Ireland.
India’s efforts through the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) were highlighted where more than 675 tobacco cessation centres across district hospitals were established, delivering 1.35 million counselling sessions in the financial year 2023-24.
Launched in 2026, the National Tobacco Quitline Services (NTQLS), supports 16 Indian languages with around 100 counsellors, handling 42,000 calls monthly. The mandatory display of “QUIT TODAY, CALL 1800-11-2356” on tobacco packs, as per the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) 2003, has boosted call volumes by more than 30 per cent, according to officials.
Other efforts taken to control tobacco use include banning e-cigarettes under the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act (PECA) 2019 and mandating anti-tobacco warnings on OTT streaming platforms.
The Bloomberg Philanthropies Awards for Global Tobacco Control were first hosted in 2009 at the World Health Conference on Tobacco for Health in Mumbai.
Agencies