Each year on April 7th, the world slows down for a moment and focuses on the health of every human in existence on the globe. The first world health day was celebrated in 1948 and has done nothing but create awareness of specific health themes each year. Over the last fifty years, such medical issues being focused on are mental health, maternal and child care, and climate change. These celebrations are marked differently throughout our country and other countries as well.
Each year a campaign message is declared to help spread awareness and bring light to the topics of ensuring that all living humans have the health coverage that they have a right to. Both governmental and nongovernmental organizations support this cause and help to raise funds for healthcare worldwide. The World Health Organization backs this cause. They are also responsible for:
- Promoting Development. Poverty is linked to poor health. By promoting development poverty falls and the overall health of a given population improves.
- Fosters Health Security. The WHO takes steps to increase health security by reducing health risks from outbreaks of new, existing and mutating diseases.
- Strengthens Health Systems. In poorer countries, many health systems are inadequate. The WHO strengthens these systems through various means which may include the provision of funding, access to drugs and relevant technology, data collection systems and trained staff.
- Harnesses information, research and evidence. The WHO uses evidence as a sound basis for setting health priorities, strategies and measuring results. In consultation with leading health experts, WHO provides authoritative health information.
- Enhances Partnerships. The WHO works closely with many health organizations around the world. They aim to improve or enhance the work of these organizations by encouraging them to use their evidence-based practices and follow their technical guidelines when implementing their health programs.
- Improves Performance. The WHO also strives to improve the performance of its own organization. In order to improve the performance or effectiveness of an organization there needs to be clear results which can be measured and compared.
World health day has focused on many health topics in the last decade. Some of those specific focused medical topics were:
- 2016: Diabetes
- 2017: Depression: Let’s Talk
- 2018: Universal Healthcare: Everyone, everywhere.
- 2019: Primary Healthcare
- 2020: Support Nurses and Midwives
- 2021: Building a Fairer, Healthier World
- 2022: Our Planet, Our Health
- 2023: Health for All
- 2024: My Health, My Right
- 2025: Global Action for Universal Health
With each year’s theme, the World Health Organization provides a tool kit that includes advertising materials, ideas on how to get more community involvement, clearly defined messages to share, and information on how to plan and run events in your own community.
How can I spread the world about World Health Day?
On April 7th, begin the day by taking an hour to evaluate your own health. Whether good or bad, plan to stick to a schedule regarding medical check-ups, vision exams and dental workups for the year. Schedule your blood tests and your physical exam, especially if you have not had one for a long period of time.
You can take the time to interact with friends and family on social media discussing the importance of health care and medical care worldwide. You could share your medical story, if you are living with cancer, illnesses or other life-altering issues. You could ask someone that is living with a medical issue to tell you about it, so you can also spread the word to others. By simply opening these lines of communication, it takes the stigma or taboo edge off of medical subjects, which is very important.
The World Health Organization campaigns provide the best platform and resources for spreading awareness, raising funds, and educating the public about these important issues. By attempting to leverage community awareness and action, this helps to continue the growth on a global level in a positive manner. The WHO encourages everyone to stay up to date on current campaigns and information about the upcoming World Health Day on their website at: www.worldoralhealthday.org
Citations:
World Health Organization
National Institutes of Health and Human Services
American Cancer Society