Every year, more than 8 million people die from tobacco-related illness in the world, one million of them in the Americas. The World No Tobacco Day Awards highlight achievements in the area of tobacco control.
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that four institutions from Costa Rica, the Ministries of Health of Saint Lucia and Paraguay, the National Resource Fund of Uruguay, two cities in California and a Brazilian doctor are the winners of the World No Tobacco Day Awards 2021.
Each year, WHO recognizes individuals or organizations in each of the six WHO regions for their achievements in the field of tobacco control. This recognition takes the form of the WHO Director-General’s Special Recognition Award and World No Tobacco Day Awards, which take place on May 31st.
The winners of the 2021 Americas region in Costa Rica are as follows:
1) Inter-institutional team mSalud
2) The Ministry of Health
3) The Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS)
4) The Institute on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (IAFA)
They all share the award for the work of the Interinstitutional Team of Costa Rica in expanding cessation services tobacco through the development of online tools.
Raising awareness
World No Tobacco Day was created by WHO Member States in 1987 and is commemorated on May 31st of each year to raise awareness of the harmful effects of tobacco and exposure to tobacco smoke, and to discourage tobacco use in any way. Every year, more than 8 million people die from tobacco in the world, one million of them in the Americas.
