President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has been honoured with the World No-Tobacco Day Special Recognition Award by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The award was presented to President Muizzu at a ceremony held at Barcelo Nasandhura on Thursday night to mark the World Health Day. The award was presented to the President on behalf of WHO by its Regional Director Saima Wazid.
WHO annually awards individuals and organisations worldwide to recognise their efforts to control tobacco. These include the Special Recognition Award by World Health Organisation’s Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and the World No Tobacco Day Award. President Muizzu was awarded the Director-General’s Award in recognition of his efforts to control tobacco in the Maldives, acknowledging his leadership and commitment to protecting public health in the Maldives through robust tobacco control measures.
A special message from WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus congratulated President Muizzu and praised him for his exemplary leadership and commitment to protecting the health of the people of the Maldives. He noted that this was not just an achievement for the Maldives, but also serves as a good model for other countries to become a tobacco-free country. He further noted that President Muizzu’s vision to ensure the health of the Maldivian citizens will ensure the good health of both current and future generations.
The President has taken several significant measures against tobacco since taking Office in November ‘23. As such, he has banned the use and sale of vape, while the duty imposed on cigarettes has also been increased. The government has also decided to impose a generational ban on smoking, where those born on and after 01 January 2007 will be banned from smoking. The generational ban to keep the younger generation away from tobacco was determined after the results of a poll conducted on social media.
The Maldives has now completed the legal procedures to impose a generational ban on tobacco use.