World Health Day is annually observed across the globe on 7th April to bring attention to a specific topic of concern to people across the world.
World Health Day also marks the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO) on 7th April 1948.
The theme of World Health Day 2022 is “Our Planet, Our Health”.
Background:
i.The first World Health Assembly(WHA) decided that the WHO should sponsor the observance of World Health Day on 22nd July of every year.
- Since most of the schools and educational institutes, important focal points of the observance are closed on 22nd July, the date 7th April, the day on which the Constitution of WHO officially entered into force in 1948, provided a suitable alternative for the observance.
ii.Later, the 2nd World Health Assembly decided that starting from 1950, every year the 7th April will be observed as World Health Day.
World Health Day 2022:
On World Health Day 2022, the WHO will focus on the need for urgent actions to keep humans and the planet healthy and foster a movement to create societies focused on well-being.
Key Points:
i.WHO has estimated that more than 13 million deaths across the globe occur due to avoidable environmental causes.
ii.These include the climate crisis, the biggest health threat facing humanity. WHO states that the climate crisis is also a health crisis.
World Health Organization (WHO):
i.The World Health Organization was created in 1948 to coordinate health affairs within the United Nations system.
ii.The initial priorities of WHO were malaria, tuberculosis, venereal disease and other communicable diseases, and women and children’s health, nutrition and sanitation.
World Health Day 2022 in India:
i.On the occasion of World Health Day, the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa and Homoeopathy(Ayush) organised a Yoga Utsav at the iconic 15 August ground at Red Fort, Delhi and kickstarted the 75 days countdown to the International Day of Yoga (IDY).
ii.Om Birla, Lok Sabha speaker participated in the event as Chief guest.
About World Health Organization (WHO):
Director-General– Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Headquarters– Geneva, Switzerland
