World Health Day: Theme And Significance

Celebrated on the 7^th of April every year, World Health Day is a global health awareness day under the sponsorship of the World Health Organisation (WHO), as well as other related organisations for health. WHO has aimed to “focus global attention on urgent actions needed to keep humans and the planet healthy and foster a movement to create societies focused on well-being”. Since the pandemic, the world has become more polluted, with increasing diseases such as cancer, asthma, heart disease, and more; WHO “estimates that more than 13 million deaths around the world each year are due to avoidable environmental causes”, which is why this climate crisis is also a health crisis and needs more awareness.

“Are we able to reimagine a world where clean air, water and food are available to all? Where economies are focused on health and well-being? Where cities are liveable and people have control over their health and the health of the planet?”

Events held by WHO: https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-health-day

WHO says:

“Our political, social and commercial decisions are driving the climate and health crisis. Over 90% of people breathe unhealthy air resulting from burning of fossil fuels. A heating world is seeing mosquitos spread diseases farther and faster than ever before. Extreme weather events, land degradation and water scarcity are displacing people and affecting their health. Pollution and plastics are found at the bottom of our deepest oceans, the highest mountains, and have made their way into our food chain. Systems that produce highly processed, unhealthy foods and beverages are driving a wave of obesity, increasing cancer and heart disease while generating a third of global greenhouse gas emissions.

“While the COVID-19 pandemic showed us the healing power of science, it also highlighted the inequities in our world. The pandemic has revealed weaknesses in all areas of society and underlined the urgency of creating sustainable well-being societies committed to achieving equitable health now and for future generations without breaching ecological limits. The present design of the economy leads to inequitable distribution of income, wealth and power, with too many people still living in poverty and instability. A well-being economy has human well-being, equity and ecological sustainability as its goals. These goals are translated into long-term investments, well-being budgets, social protection and legal and fiscal strategies. Breaking these cycles of destruction for the planet and human health requires legislative action, corporate reform and individuals to be supported and incentivized to make healthy choices.”