The World Health Organization (WHO) has been celebrating World Health Day on April 7 for 76 years.
This Day is an opportunity to highlight the advances made in public health, which have contributed significantly to improving people’s quality of life since 1948. It is also a call to action to meet the health challenges facing the world today and in the future. The goal is always to take action to “safeguard the health of people and the planet and to raise a movement to build societies that are focused on well-being.”
Among the issues raised to encourage concrete and rapid action are:
- Are we able to reimagine a world where clean air, water and food are available to all?
- Where economies are focused on health and well-being?
- Where cities are liveable and people have control over their health and the health of the planet?
WHO estimates that more than 13 million deaths worldwide are attributable to preventable environmental causes. More than 90% of people breathe polluted air, the result of burning fossil fuels.
WHO invites the public and governments to share examples of actions taken to protect the planet and their health as part of its annual campaign.
World Health Day is one of eight global campaigns promoted by the WHO to raise awareness of the various issues:
- World Tuberculosis Day
- World Immunization Week
- World Malaria Day
- World No Tobacco Day
- World AIDS Day
- World Blood Donor Day
- World Hepatitis Day