- Kerala won a United Nations award for its “outstanding contribution” towards the non-communicable diseases-related sustainable development goals.
- The UN Interagency Task Force (UNIATF) award this year on prevention and control of non-communicable diseases was announced by World Health Organisation (WHO) director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
- The award recognises achievements during 2019 on the multisectoral action in the prevention and control of NCDs, mental health and the wider NCD-related sustainable development goals (SDGs).
- This is the first time the state has been recognised for this annual award by the UN.
- Kerala is among the seven ministries of health across the world.
- The award was a recognition of the lifestyle disease control mechanism in Kerala, and the treatment and free services received by a large section of the population.
- In addition, the state-of-the-art lung disease control program, cancer treatment program and paralysis control program were also considered for the award.
