With the COVID-19 pandemic now well into its second year, safely reopening schools has become an urgent priority. School attendance is critical for children’s education and lifetime prospects.

Quitting tobacco is a journey. It may take several attempts before one can reach the goal. But millions of tobacco users worldwide have quit. They succeeded with the help of their family and loved ones, with the aid of evidence-based cessation services and medications, or just by themselves.

Every year, the World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes individuals or organizations in each of its six regions for their outstanding work in tobacco control. Six organizations in the Western Pacific Region have been given the 2021 World No Tobacco Day Award in recognition of their important contributions:

Hong Kong SAR (China) has achieved rubella-free status according to the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Verification Commission for Measles and Rubella Elimination for the Western Pacific. It joins Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Macao SAR (China), New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea as countries and areas in the Region to have interrupted endemic transmission of the virus that causes rubella.