Global Leaders Honored at Bloomberg Philanthropies Awards 2025 During WCTC

Special correspondent ::

The World Conference on Tobacco Control 2025, organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, is being held from June 23–25 in Dublin, Ireland. This landmark gathering has brought together global public health experts, policymakers, and civil society organizations to reflect on the progress and tackle the challenges in the global fight against the tobacco epidemic. Bangladesh is also actively participating in the conference, alongside representatives from countries worldwide.

As part of the conference’s opening day on June 23, Bloomberg Philanthropies proudly announced the winners of the 2025 Bloomberg Philanthropies Awards for Global Tobacco Control, recognizing six remarkable government and civil society initiatives that have made significant strides in advancing the WHO’s MPOWER strategies for reducing tobacco use. These six evidence-based measures—Monitor, Protect, Offer, Warn, Enforce bans, and Raise taxes serve as a powerful framework guiding global tobacco control efforts. The awards spotlight bold leadership, innovative policy reforms, and the growing momentum of MPOWER through impactful community-driven action.

The 2025 award recipients include:

#India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare:

Honored for expanding nationwide access to tobacco cessation services, including a national quit line and free cessation support across health facilities.

#Mauritius Ministry of Health and Wellness:

Celebrated as the first African nation to implement plain packaging for tobacco products, a groundbreaking policy introduced in 2023.

#Mexico’s Ministry of Health and civil society partner Salud Justa Mx:

Recognized for enacting and enforcing a comprehensive ban on all forms of tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship.

#Montenegro’s Ministry of Finance

:Commended for significantly increasing cigarette taxes by 73% between 2017 and 2024, which contributed to a 7% drop in national smoking rates.

#City Government of Baguio, Philippines:

Awarded for developing a unique public–private tobacco surveillance system. Mayor Benjamin Magalong accepted the award on behalf of the city in Dublin.

#Committee on Public Health, Medical Assistance & Medical Insurance of Ukraine (Verkhovna Rada)

Acknowledged for implementing and upholding a robust smoke-free policy, with outstanding enforcement and public compliance.

These accolades were announced alongside the launch of the WHO Global Tobacco Epidemic Report 2025, which not only celebrated these success stories but also emphasized the critical need for expanded enforcement and stronger tobacco control measures globally.

Together, these six honorees exemplify how strong political will, innovative thinking, and collaborative efforts can drive meaningful progress in areas such as cessation support, plain packaging, taxation, advertising bans, tobacco monitoring, and smoke-free public spaces ultimately saving millions of lives worldwide.