Qatar Ministry of Health gets WHO award for anti-smoking campaign

The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) has received the World Health Organization Award for World No Tobacco Day (WNTD Award) in recognition of its efforts in cooperation with the relevant authorities in Qatar to make the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 a smoke-free tournament by applying strict measures to combat smoking inside and outside stadiums and fan areas

June 1, 2023 - 06:15

Qatar Ministry of Health gets WHO award for anti-smoking campaign

Source: Ministry of Public Health

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

According to the Ministry of Public Health, the award was received by Dr. Kholoud Ateeq Al-Mutaweh, Head of the Non-Communicable Diseases Department at the Ministry of Public Health, from Dr. Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, during the event accompanying the World Health Assembly, organized by the State of Qatar entitled: "Building a legacy for sport and health after major sporting events", in Geneva.

HE Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari and several health ministers and senior officials participating in the meetings of the World Health Assembly held in Geneva, Switzerland, attended the award ceremony.

In a statement, Dr al- Mutawa said that the award comes as a culmination of MOPH and the concerned authorities' efforts to make the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 activities smoke-free by applying strict anti-smoking measures inside and outside the stadiums, especially in the fan areas to ensure the enjoyment of the tournament for guests with smoke-free air, as well as imposing a complete ban on smoking during the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021.

She noted that the MOPH, in cooperation with the various authorities concerned in the country, is working hard to combat the use of tobacco by launching initiatives and awareness efforts to preserve the health and safety of the population, stressing that the award represents an incentive to achieve new accomplishments in the field of tobacco control.

Dr Al Mutaweh has been the National Tobacco Control Liaison Officer since 2012, in addition to the relevant Liaison Officer for the International Framework Convention on Tobacco Control representing the State of Qatar at the World Health Organization in Geneva and was appointed as the UAE's representative in the meetings of the Gulf Committees on Tobacco Control of the GCC Health Council.