World Health Day, held on April 7 each year, draws attention to a range of global public health concerns.
Each year, a crucial issue affecting individuals is spotlighted, along with ways to address and improve it.
For instance, 2017 focused on depression and the significance of talking about the mental health issue as a key element of recovery.
Are you curious to learn more about World Health Day and how you can get involved each year? Let’s get into it!
History of World Health Day.
The first World Health Day was held 75 years ago on April 7, 1950.
The decision to launch this awareness day came two years prior, following the inaugural World Health Assembly conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO).
If you aren’t aware, the WHO is an agency of the United Nations that focuses on the health care of individuals worldwide.
April 7 notably marks the anniversary of the WHO’s founding in 1948, making it a fitting day for World Health Day.
Since its inception, the WHO has selected specific health-focused themes for World Health Day. The first theme, in 1950, was “Know your Health Services.”
Meanwhile, other initiatives linked to World Health Day, organized by the WHO, focus directly on serious health problems facing the planet.
These include World AIDS Day (December 1) and World Blood Donor Day (June 14), which are also held annually.
How to celebrate World Health Day.
World Health Day isn’t technically “celebrated,” as it mainly highlights critical global health issues.
However, there are ways individuals can mark the occasion, which the WHO encourages each year.
Connect to the annual theme of World Health Day.
For example, 2024’s theme, “My health, my right,” asked people to understand their basic rights regarding health, prioritize their health, and recognize the issues that others face when it comes to accessing healthcare.
These three points offer people a chance to recognize and assess various aspects of health, potentially leading to improvements in that person’s own personal health and their perspective on health issues affecting others.
Get involved by organizing a World Health Day-themed event or activity.
The WHO assists individuals who want to get involved with World Health Day by providing a dedicated guide.
The guide helps people organize events and activities in locations like offices or schools. Some suggested activities include walks, healthy challenges, or competitions.
Raise awareness about World Health Day.
The WHO encourages social media participation to raise awareness.
For example, in 2023, with the theme “Health for all,” the WHO created specific hashtags – #HealthForAll and #WHO75 – for people to use when posting about World Health Day online.
Awareness can also be spread through educational workshops and engaging people in meaningful conversations about the particular theme of World Health Day.
World Health Day FAQs.
What is the world’s healthiest country?
According to Statista, Singapore topped the global rankings for both health and healthcare infrastructure in 2023, with a rating of 86.9. Meanwhile, the Central African Republic ranked the lowest, with an index rating of 32.
What causes bad health around the world?
Many factors cause poor health on a global scale, but one of the worst culprits is air pollution.
Over 2.4 billion people are impacted by hazardous household air pollution, such as smoke from dangerous cooking setups.
This, plus atmospheric pollution, contributes to 7 million early deaths annually. However, many global health issues remain uncontrollable, such as genetic disorders.
What are the world’s biggest health issues?
There are many crucial health issues facing the world.
Still, the biggest are physical activity and nutrition, obesity, smoking, substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, mental health, injury and violence, environment quality, immunization, and access to healthcare.
5 interesting facts about world health.
Cancer stands as a primary cause of mortality globally, responsible for around 10 million deaths in 2020. Breast cancer and colon cancer were among the most prevalent types.
Between 2000 and 2019, the average global life expectancy rose from 66.8 to 73.1, reflecting significant improvements in health worldwide.
Vaccinations led to the eradication of deadly smallpox around the world. Eradicated by 1980, it is the only human disease to have been defeated.
In 2022, over 1.7 billion people consumed water contaminated with waste, which can transmit diseases like typhoid, cholera, and polio.
Around one billion people get the flu yearly, with 3 to 5 million becoming extremely sick from the seasonal virus.
In Conclusion.
Overall, World Health Day is dedicated to raising awareness about important global health issues and promoting healthy living.
It also emphasizes the challenges that healthcare systems face worldwide, particularly those impacting vulnerable communities.
Meanwhile, individuals can make a significant impact by connecting with the year’s crucial topic or participating in related events and activities.
Be sure to mark World Health Day on your calendar for April 7!
