New Delhi: India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare was honoured with the prestigious Bloomberg Philanthropies Award for Global Tobacco Control in the ‘O’ category, which recognises efforts in offering help to quit tobacco use under a policy package of the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Given under the MPOWER strategy, the award was presented by Michael R Bloomberg during a ceremony announced late night on June 23 (local time) at the World Conference on Tobacco Control in Dublin, Ireland.
The award celebrates India’s exemplary efforts in providing cessation support to millions of tobacco users. Alongside India, governments and NGOs from Mauritius, Mexico, Montenegro, the Philippines, and Ukraine were also recognised for their contributions to curbing tobacco use.
“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.
Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies, who presented the award said, “We commend their leadership, their commitment to evidence-based policies, and their contribution to saving millions of lives.
“The global tobacco control movement has helped save tens of millions of lives, making it one of the most successful public health efforts in history.”
He is also the WHO Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries, and the mayor of New York City.
“Bloomberg Philanthropies has long worked closely with the World Health Organisation and others who are leading this vitally important work, and the winners of this year’s Awards for Global Tobacco Control prove how much progress is possible,” he said.
India’s recognition highlights the Modi government’s approach through the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP). The NTCP has established more than 675 tobacco cessation centres across district hospitals, delivering 1.35 million counselling sessions in financial year 2023-24.
The National Tobacco Quitline Services (NTQLS), launched in 2016, 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.
“India has been making consistent efforts to help people quit tobacco through the NTCP,” said Dr Pratima Murthy, director and senior professor of psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences in India.
“This includes the establishment of tobacco cessation clinics, screening and intervention in primary care at the Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, and establishing Cessation and National Tobacco Quitlines.
“These comprehensive efforts indicate India’s commitment to reduce tobacco use and promote public health. It is an absolute honour to receive on behalf of the Indian government the Bloomberg Philanthropies Award for Global Tobacco Control in the ‘O’ category,” Dr Murthy added.
India’s leadership includes banning e-cigarettes under the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act (PECA) 2019, setting a global standard, and mandating anti-tobacco warnings on OTT streaming platforms to protect the youth.
Other award recipients include Mauritius for plain packaging, Mexico for its advertising ban, Montenegro for tax increases, the Philippines for surveillance partnerships, and Ukraine for smoke-free policies.
During the ceremony, Michael R Bloomberg announced a 20 million dollars initiative to advance tobacco control in low- and middle-income countries, supporting governments and NGOs and bolstering India’s NTCP efforts.
This builds on the Bloomberg Initiative’s success, saving 35.2 million lives and reducing cigarette sales by 820 billion since 2012.
Tobacco use claims 1.3 million lives annually in India, or 3,500 daily.
Yet, the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) reports a six per cent decline in tobacco use from 34.6 per cent (2009-10) to 28.6 per cent (2016-17), a 17.3 per cent relative reduction. Integration with the National TB Elimination Programme and more than 300 cessation centres in medical and dental colleges reflect India’s holistic approach.
