Award for Anbumani

The World Health Organisation has conferred the Director-General's Special Award to Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Anbumani Ramadoss for his outstanding contribution to tobacco control. The award is given annually to mark the World No Tobacco Day.  According to WHO, the Award is a "global recognition of the dynamic leadership" of Dr.Ramadoss under which India took rapid strides in tobacco control. His efforts and determination in banning tobacco usage scenes and surrogate tobacco advertisements in films and television have been widely commended by the global community.

 
Dr.Ramdoss has initiated the pilot National Tobacco Control Programme that integrates multiple measures to reduce tobacco use, especially among rural populations. According to S.J.Habayeb, WHO representative to India, Dr.Ramadoss' contributions are not limited to India, but have spilled over both regionally and globally.

 

(The Hindu, 29^th June 2007)