Minister of Health Andrei Usatyi has won the World No Tobacco Day award for 2012. This year, Moldova started to make considerable progress in controlling tobacco. This fact is significant given that the country was earlier an important producer of tobacco and tobacco industry remains relatively strong, Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting a communiqué from the Ministry of Health, with reference to the World Health Organization (WHO). During an official visit to Moldova, WHO Regional Director for Europe Zsuzsanna Jakab handed over the World No Tobacco Day award to the Moldovan minister in the name of the WHO Director General. “This prize is a special and deserved recognition for your contribution to tobacco control worldwide,” said Zsuzsanna Jakab. Moldova ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in 2009, but started to implement it in 2011. The communiqué says that Andrei Usatyi played an essential role in promoting tobacco control, making this objective a priority in the Government’s work. Owing to the minister’s personal involvement, Moldova adopted a comprehensive national tobacco control program and a communication strategy for a national anti-tobacco campaign, which are under implementation.