The United Nations has awarded Kerala on Thursday in view of its “outstanding contribution” in the regulation of the non-communicable disease based goals towards sustainable development. The declaration was made by World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus this year for the UN Interagency Task Force (UNIATF) award for prevention and control of non-communicable diseases, in appreciation of efforts through 2019 in multi-sectoral areas dealing with preventing and regulating NCDs. Other areas include mental health and supervision of planning sustainable development in NCDs on a wide scale. Health Minister KK Shailaja said the award was a recognition of the tireless service of Kerala in the health sector.

“The state government has arranged facilities from the basic public health centres to hospitals at all levels to treat the lifestyle diseases,” Ms Shailaja said in a statement. “We were able to control the death rate during the COVID-19 period as we were able to focus on the NCDs.”

Kerala’s win marks the first time the state has been in recognition for this annual award. Kerala is one among seven international health ministries. Ms Shailaja applauded all health workers on this achievement. A release by the state government discussed how the award was an outcome of the mechanism adhered for lifestyle disease control in Kerala, including treatment and free services provided to a large section of the state’s masses.

“In addition, the state-of-the-art lung disease control program, cancer treatment program and paralysis control program were also considered for the award,” it said.