
Dr. Mathurin Narcisse Naré receives WHO World No Tobacco Day Award 2026 for contributions to public health in Burkina Faso
Dr. Mathurin Narcisse Naré, a retired public health physician from Burkina Faso, was honored with the World Health Organization's WHO World No Tobacco Day Award 2026. The award ceremony took place on July 24, 2026, in Ouagadougou, presided over by the Minister of Health, Dr. Lucien Robert Jean Claude Kargougou. This distinction recognizes individuals and organizations for exceptional commitment to tobacco control. Dr. Naré was nominated by the Africa Against Tobacco Association ACONTA with support from the Burkinabe government. He joins other Burkinabe personalities previously recognized for their efforts, including Dr. Théodore Kangoyé 2014, Dr. Mohamed Ould Sidi Mohamed 2015, and Dr. Harouna Kaboré 2022. Dr. Minzah Etienne Pékélé, head of the WHO office in Burkina Faso, highlighted that this award acknowledges Burkina Faso's leadership, determination, and results in public health protection. The country ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control FCTC in July 2006, marking the beginning of organized tobacco control efforts. Dr. Naré played a key role as a focal point in the adoption of a tobacco control law in 2010 and the ratification of the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products in 2016. His contributions include the creation of the National Committee for Tobacco Control, the implementation of plain packaging, the ban on smoking in public places and public transport, and the monitoring of tobacco product traceability. The Minister of Health a



