World Health Day is celebrated to bring awareness about human health and spread of disease. Human concern about health has increased with time. The worries about physical condition, nutrition and general health care have increased as the world has gotten deeply involved in advancements in housing, technology, and infrastructure. These concerns are highlighted by the fact of several illnesses that have arisen in the last few decades and some illnesses that have returned after having almost disappeared. This is caused by the lack of information and general knowledge.
To bring awareness among the people of the world, the United Nations has taken the decision to establish April 7th as the World Health Day. The main objective of the decision is to create global awareness about health and its importance on daily life. World Health Organization is also in charge of other awareness campaigns as the World Tuberculosis Day, World Immunization Day, World No Tobacco Day, and World AIDS Day.
The decision to establish World Health Day is due to the celebration of the First World Health Assembly which took place in 1948 under the sponsorship of the WHO, the creation of which was first thought in 1945. The celebration was taken officially as an annual event from 1950 until the present. Various issues have been adopted for the celebration of this milestone. By 1963, celebrating the fifteenth anniversary of it, Hunger was the topic taken up by the initiative of the U.S. President John F. Kennedy; and one remarkable event took place in 1977 with a vaccination drive to immunize children against six diseases; diphtheria, measles, polio, tetanus, tuberculosis, and whooping cough. Despite being a health organization, Smoking was allowed in the premises of the WHO until 1987 when it is was banned completely.
Apart from these important milestones, local and international activities have been organized following the guidelines of the United Nations-dependent organization (WHO) with a particular theme selected as the main topic of a specific year. This year is dedicated to the nurses and midwives and the theme is Support Nurse and Midwife. Last year theme for World Health Day was dedicate to Depression and the 2018 World Health Day theme is Universal Health Coverage. World Health Day is supported by several governments and non-governmental organizations with the main purpose of promote health and health concern among people in society. Events that are held on this occasion varies from conferences to exhibitions, essays contests in primary and secondary schools and award ceremonies recognizing people and institutions involved in the improvement of health in society.
World Health Day is established to fulfill the following objectives:
- To increase the public awareness of various causes and preventions of high blood pressure.
- To provide detailed knowledge of preventing various diseases and their complications.
- To promote self-care among people.
- To motivate health authorities worldwide – to be self motivated in their efforts in creating a healthy environment in their own countries.
- To protect families living in vulnerable areas.
The reasons to keep celebrating World Health Day every year are remarkable and of a great importance to the general public.
