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Assam Times contributor wins coveted WHO Award

Every year, the World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes individuals or organizations in each of the six WHO regions for their accomplishments in the area of tobacco control. Dr Surendra Shastri of Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai and noted health activist and journalist Bobby Ramakant are the two Indians in the list of recipients of WHO's Award this year.

Last year, the Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Anbumani Ramadoss was conferred this award.

Bobby Ramakant (a regular contributor to Assam Times) has been writing on health and development issues since 1991, and is also the recipient of WHO Medal, Athens, Greece (1996), Original Crystal Map honour, Daichii University, Japan (1998), Pt PN Mishra Young Journalists' Award (2000) and Rotary International's Vocational Excellence award (2006). Presently he works as Asian Correspondent and writes for media in many countries globally.

The single most preventable cause of death worldwide, the report stated, is tobacco use. Tobacco use has been found to kill one-third to one-half of its users, according to this report.

Earlier in February 2008, WHO had released the World Tobacco Epidemic Report which underlines not only the evidence-based fact that tobacco epidemic is worsening but also recommends a comprehensive package of six-effective tobacco control policies – clubbed as 'MPOWER' that have demonstrated results in helping countries stop the diseases, deaths and economic damages caused by tobacco use.

Online at: http://www.who.int/tobacco/wntd/2008/awards/en/index.html

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