With several deadly medical issues afflicting millions of individuals all over the world, World Health Day is marked to promote awareness about people’s general health and well-being.
A health worker administers the vaccine for COVID-19 to a woman at a residential area in Ahmedabad. AP
World Health Day is celebrated every year by the World Health Organization (WHO) to highlight a specific health topic of concern to people all over the globe.
With several deadly medical issues afflicting millions of individuals all over the world, World Health Day is marked to promote awareness about people’s general health and well-being.
History:
The day is observed on 7 April every year as the WHO’s Constitution came into force on this date in 1948. Since the first World Health Day was marked in 1950, the celebration aims to create awareness of a specific health theme to highlight the priorities of the WHO.
From mental health to maternal and child care, the day has highlighted the significance of these issues to the WHO. The organisation has also conducted several awareness campaigns beyond World Health Day in order to focus worldwide attention on these aspects.
World Health Day 2022- Theme
With the theme, ‘Our planet, our health’ the day aims to focus on the need for urgent actions to keep humans and the planet healthy and to create societies focused on well-being in the midst of rising pollution levels, the coronavirus pandemic and increasing diseases like cancer, asthma, heart disease and so on.
The WHO has urged governments and the public to share stories of steps taken by them to protect the planet and their health. It will also focus on what more can be done to prioritise the well-being of societies.
Why is it relevant?
While the COVID-19 pandemic has brought the importance of a robust healthcare system to the forefront, it has also highlighted inequities that exist in access to medical care. World Health Day aims to focus on what more can be done to address these concerns.
On the occasion of World Health Day, the WHO also highlights how many lives can be saved by providing better and more equitable access to healthcare globally. According to estimates, over 13 million deaths each year are due to avoidable environmental causes, including the climate crisis. Climate change has emerged as one of the biggest health concerns for people all over.
World Health Day creates awareness about how to combat climate change and improve well-being levels around the globe.