World Health Day 2021: History, Significance and Theme

More than 1 billion people living in informal settlements or slums are facing increased challenges in preventing infection and transmission of the coronavirus, says WHO.

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New Delhi: Each year since 1950, April 7 is celebrated as World Health Day. The day is commemorated to raise awareness and action against different health related problems. Each year a theme is decided on which the World Health Day will focus on, ranging from mental health, maternal health issues to climate change and its impact on the health of people.

This year’s theme for World Health Day is “Building a fairer, healthier world for everyone”. 

Know more about the history, theme and significance of this day.

History of World Health Day

The decision to celebrate April 7 as the World Health Day was taken at the First Health Assembly in 1948 and after two years, since 1950, World Health Day came into effect.

Significance of World Health Day

World Health Day tries to shed light on important yet neglected health issues that are ailing the world. Mental health, maternal and child care health, and climate change and its effect on health are some of the themes that the World Health Day has tried to raise awareness and action around.

Theme of World Health Day

This year's theme for World Health Day is “Building a fairer, healthier world for everyone”. According to the World Health Organisation’s official website, “The world is still an unequal one. The places where we live, work and play may make it harder for some to reach their full health potential, while others thrive.  Health inequities are not only unjust and unfair, but they also threaten the advances made to date, and have the potential to widen rather than narrow equity gaps.”

It further claims that COVID-19 has exacerbated healthcare inequality. “COVID-19 has hit all countries hard, but its impact has been harshest on those communities which were already vulnerable, who are more exposed to the disease, less likely to have access to quality health care services and more likely to experience adverse consequences as a result of measures implemented to contain the pandemic.”

So this World Health Day focuses on building equitable Healthcare access for all people across class, ethnicity, socio-polical beliefs and geography.