WHO response

The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is one of the most widely embraced treaties in the history of the United Nations with 180 Parties. It is an important tobacco control tool and a milestone in the promotion of public health. It is an evidence-based treaty that reaffirms the right of people to the highest standard of health, provides legal dimensions for international health cooperation and sets high standards for compliance.

The WHO Western Pacific Region continues to be the only Region where 100% of eligible parties have ratified the WHO FCTC.

In 2014, the sixty-fifth session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific endorsed the Regional action plan for the tobacco free initiative in the Western Pacific (2015-2019). The action plan is a critical step towards cohesive and sustainable tobacco control systems. It will accelerate implementation of the WHO FCTC and focus on increased institutional capacity, effective policies and governance, and multisectoral actions and partnerships for tobacco control in Member States.

World No Tobacco Day 2016 awards

Each year, WHO recognizes individuals or organizations for their accomplishments in the area of tobacco control in each of the six WHO Regions. These recognitions come in the form of WHO Director-General Special Recognition Awards, World No Tobacco Day Awards and two WHO Director-General's Special Recognition Certificates.

This year, Australians Professor Michael Matthew Daube, Officer of the Order of Australia, and Professor Melanie Wakefield, are the recipients of the WHO Director-General's Special Recognition certificates. Professor Daube is visiting the Regional Office on 31 May 2016 to share recent research on the impacts of plain packaging in Australia and other developments around the world.

In the Western Pacific Region, winners of the World No Tobacco Day 2016 awards include:

Ministry of Health and Welfare, Republic of Korea

Mrs Erdenechimeg Luvsan, Member of Parliament of Mongolia, Head of Women's Caucus of the Parliament, Mongolia

Mr Alexander de las Alas Padilla, President and Chief Executive Officer, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), Department of Health, Philippines

Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Solomon Islands