World Health Day: 9 Interesting Facts About It

World Health Day is celebrated on April 7 every year as an occasion to mark the establishment of the World Health Organization (WHO) on April 7, 1948. It is also observed to emphasize the subject of global health. Every year, WHO organizes events around a particular theme related to health. The events take place at local, national, and international levels and receive media coverage. The media coverage helps spread information and awareness about the particular year’s theme. To know about the theme of World Health Day 2022 and interesting facts about World Health Day, read on.

The theme of World Health Day 2022

On this World Health Day, WHO decided to focus on urgent actions required to keep the earth and human beings healthy. The theme of World Health Day 2022 is Our planet, our health. According to WHO estimate, more than 13 million deaths across the globe were a result of environmental problems, including the climate crisis. As of now, the climate crisis is one of the biggest threats to humanity. These environmental problems are avoidable as well as controllable. Given this, WHO, through this year’s World Health Day theme, aims to create and encourage the members of global societies to be more focused on overall health.  

Given below are some of the reasons why WHO focused on planet and human health for the World Health Day 2022 theme [1]:

• Excess burning of fossil fuels has now resulted in over 90% of the population breathing unhealthy air.
• Water scarcity, extreme weather conditions, and land degradation is displacing people all over the world, yielding an adverse effect on their health.
• Pollutants at the bottom of mountains and oceans not only affect animal life but have also become a part of our food.
• Rising temperatures have resulted in a quicker and farther spread of diseases through mosquitoes.
• Manufacturers of processed and unhealthy food and drinks generate nearly one-third of greenhouse gas emissions across the globe. Production of these foods and drinks has also increased the number of people who are overweight or obese. This, in turn, affects the health and causes heart conditions, stomach problems, and more diseases.

The COVID pandemic shed light on science as well as nature’s power of healing. But it also highlighted where society lacks by showing the inequities in our social structure. And while nature can heal itself, the COVID-19 pandemic made society aware of the urgent need to create a better society for humans as well as the planet. There is a need for a society that is committed to sustainability while working towards improving overall health. Read on to find out nine facts about World Health Day.

Interesting facts about World Health Day

 World Health Day is just one of the eleven official health campaigns founded by the World Health Organization.

• Other than Health Day, WHO also observes Immunization Week, Tuberculosis Day, Blood Donor Day, Malaria Day, No Tobacco Day, AIDS Day, Chagas Disease Day, Antimicrobial Awareness Week, Hepatitis Day, and Patient Safety Day. 
• World Health Day was announced at the First Health Assembly in 1948, and it took effect in 1950. This celebration is aimed at creating awareness on a large scale regarding specific health themes. It helps highlight a priority area of current concern for the World Health Organization [2]. World Health Day has been celebrated every year from 1950 onwards.
• The headquarters of the World Health Organization is in Switzerland. Members of the United Nations founded the organization and then decided to commemorate a day to celebrate global health.
• The theme for the 2015 World Health Day celebration was food safety. As about 2 million people die every year because of unsafe water and food, this theme was important to spread awareness.
• Events held on World Health Day include demonstrations, public marches, easy or free access to conferences, medical tests, briefings for the head of state, displays for children and adults, and more.
• World Health Day emphasizes and advertises the importance of safe drinking water. There are programs that help improve overall world health by providing safe and sanitized drinking water to areas that need it.
• The World Health Day theme in 2020 was supporting midwives and nurses as they are present in a large proportion out of the 70% of women who make up the healthcare workforce. Midwives and nurses play a key role in aftercare, including at the times of outbreaks and in settings that are in conflict or fragile.
• World Health Day also promotes raising awareness of various health factors. Here are a few of them.
• More than half of the children’s death under the age of five can be prevented with the right measures.
• Multiple countries are facing an outbreak of measles.
• Neglected tropical diseases affect up to 1.5 billion people covering the world’s poorest population.

This World Health Day, focus on keeping yourself safe from climate changes and staying healthy. For more facts or information on any health-related matters, you can consult a doctor online via Bajaj Finserv Health and get timely advice. This way, you can avail expert guidance for your medical concerns and enjoy peace of mind. Start saying yes to health without any second thoughts!