HMC’s Tobacco Control Centre honoured by WHO

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recognised Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC)’s Tobacco Control Centre with the 2025 World No Tobacco Day Award.The award recognises the centre’s significant efforts in reducing tobacco use and helping the public in Qatar and the Eastern Mediterranean region to quit all forms of tobacco use.The Tobacco Control Centre, a WHO Collaborating Centre since 2017, was selected as one of the award recipients in the Eastern Mediterranean region.This marks the second time the centre has received the award, having first been honoured in 2021.The award was presented by Dr Rayana Bou Haka, the WHO representative in Qatar, in the presence of Dr Ahmed al-Mohammed, the HMC’s deputy chief medical officer for Medical Services and chairman of the Department of Medicine.Tobacco Control Centre director Dr Ahmad Mohamed al-Mulla expressed his pride in the centre receiving the award for the second time.He praised the dedication of the centre’s team and the achievements in tobacco control in Qatar and the Eastern Mediterranean region."The HMC’s Tobacco Control Centre has played a pioneering role in helping members of the public quit all forms of tobacco,” Dr al-Mulla said. "This recognition by the WHO reflects the positive outcomes of the hard work carried out by the centre’s team and its impact on many tobacco users in our community.”Dr Haka commended the centre’s local and regional activities and said that the award was well-deserved.She thanked the centre’s staff for their continued efforts in tobacco control in Qatar and the region and emphasised the importance of continued collaboration between the Centre and WHO, given the significant value of its tobacco control programmes.The Tobacco Control Centre organises educational and awareness initiatives targeting school and university students, as well as employees in ministries and public institutions.The Centre also delivers training programmes for healthcare professionals and community organisations in Qatar and across the Eastern Mediterranean.In addition, it provides smoking cessation services and conducts research in the field of tobacco cessation.