April 7: World Health Day

World Health Day is celebrated annually, and each year draws attention to a specific health topic of concern to people all over the world.

Author: Shari Dalal

To have health and access to better health is a basic human need. With good health, we have increased opportunities for an enhanced livelihood for ourselves and those around us. 

The date of  April 7, 2023, marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organization or WHO in 1948. From the devastating effects of World War II, the arising sentiment was that all human lives are valuable. WHO started with the gathering of diplomats in San Francisco, CA, and with the collective agreement that there was an insufficient collaboration between countries to control the spread of disease across the world.

 The key challenge that WHO seeks to address is the improvement of social conditions so everyone can be born, grow, work, live, and age with good health. For WHO, this remains a key pathway to UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3, reinforced by 16 other SDGs to be attained by 2030.

The seven main parameters WHO strives to achieve are Health for All, alleviating deadly diseases, protecting people from pandemics, peace for health, guiding policy and standards for health, preventing diseases through vaccinations, and addressing climate-related health challenges. 

Five additional parameters were added this year- saving the lives of mothers and children, caring for those who take care of us, tackling non-communicable diseases and mental health, addressing antimicrobial resistance, and being guided by science and innovation. 

WHO has accomplished enormous feats for animal and human health throughout the decades. Some of these are eradicating smallpox in 1980 through a 12-year global vaccination campaign, launching oral rehydration salts (ORS), which greatly reduced childhood deaths from 4.6 million in 1980 to 365,000 in 2019 and eradicating Ebola through unprecedented efforts by deploying thousands of technical, support staff, and medical equipment. Through the global health polio initiative, polio incidence has been reduced by more than 99%. 

Through collective action and knowledge, humans can achieve great strides for a healthy and vibrant world. The adage “great health is wealth” is as true in today’s society as it has been for centuries. 

Use #healthforall and #WHO75 to showcase what actions you will take for World Health Day. If you have access to healthcare and need to find a plant based doctor near you, Vkind.com has an extensive list.

Reference

1. https://www.who.int/campaigns/75-years-of-improving-public-health/stories