The World Health Organization(WHO) has accorded the World No Tobacco Day Award 2020 to Socio-Economic and Educational Development Society(SEEDS), an Indian non-governmental organization(NGO), one among the 3 SouthEast Asian Region awardees, for its efforts to ban pan masala, gutkha, e-cigarettes and hookah in Bihar and Jharkhand.
Key Points
- SEEDS has been working closely with the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to prevent & control smokeless tobacco use.
- Deepak Mishra, executive director of the SEEDS has been nominated by the ministry as a member of the task force on the de-addiction campaign.
Gist about World No Tobacco Day Award:
i.Every year on the occasion of World No Tobacco Day on May 31 the WHO selects organisations and individuals from its 6 regions(African region, American region, Eastern Mediterranean region, South-East Asia region, Western Pacific region, European Region) for their exceptional contribution & accomplishment in the field of tobacco control.
ii.This recognition will be in the form of the WHO Director-General Special Recognition Award and World No Tobacco Day Awards.
WHO Director-General Special award 2020– Mom Kong, Executive Director, Cambodia Movement for Health, Cambodia
For details of other awardees(2020) in region wise, refer:
https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/22-05-2020-world-no-tobacco-day-2020-awards-the-winners
Note: The other South-East Asia Region awardees:
- Mr Anutin Charnvirakul, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health, Kingdom of Thailand
- Dr Aung Tun, Chairman, Tun Khit Foundation, Myanmar
About SEEDS:
i.SEEDS was established in February 2001 with the main aim to bring sustainable development among the poor and underprivileged. It was founded by a group of professionals including social scientists, environmentalists, health experts, technocrats, lawyers and economists, all established in their respective fields.
ii.It is registered under Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860, u/s 12A & 80G of Income Tax Act 1961 Registered u/s 6 (1) (a) of FCRA 1976 with Govt. of India, Ministry of Home Affairs.
Head Office– New Delhi, India
Regional Office– Patna, Bihar
About Ministry of Health and Family Welfare:
Union Minister– Harsh Vardhan
Minister of State– Ashwini Kumar Choubey
