Dr Rajiv Kumar Gupta
World Health Day is observed annually on April 7th to raise awareness about global health challenges. Established by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1950, this day emphasizes the importance of health and wellness. It encourages healthy living, educates the public about disease prevention, and advocates for accessible healthcare. Each year, a specific theme is chosen to address a key health issue, engaging communities and governments worldwide in meaningful health-related activities. Various local, national and international events are arranged to educate the public and policy makers about a specific aspect of the World Health Organization’s work. This event receives plenty of media coverage. Examples of events include conferences for health workers, briefings for local politicians, and informational displays for children and young people. Public marches and demonstrations, as well as free or easy access to medical tests, can also take place on the day.
World Health Day – Activities
Global Health Campaigns: WHO collaborates with governments, NGOs, and healthcare organizations to implement awareness programs that focus on specific health issues.
Health Pledges: Health authorities from different nations make commitments to address pressing health concerns in their regions, such as tackling diseases, improving health infrastructure, and ensuring access to healthcare.
Educational Initiatives: Schools, communities, and institutions around the world participate by organizing health-related events, workshops, and seminars aimed at educating people about healthy living, disease prevention, and wellness.
Celebrating Health Milestones: On this day, WHO often highlights the progress made in eradicating deadly diseases like smallpox and polio and the ongoing work to tackle new challenges such as antimicrobial resistance and mental health awareness.
Many schools and colleges around the world make it a point to celebrate World Health Day. Speech, sports, quiz competitions and other activities are organized in the school to help children learn about the importance of keeping them healthy in a simple and easy way. Essay writing and debate competitions are also held. Students actively participate in these events.
World Health Day, celebrated on 7 April 2025, will kick off a year-long campaign on maternal and newborn health. The campaign, titled Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures, will urge governments and the health community to ramp up efforts to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths, and to prioritize women’s longer-term health and well-being. WHO and partners will also share useful information to support healthy pregnancies and births, and better postnatal health.
Helping every woman and baby survive and thrive
This task is critical. Tragically, based on currently published estimates, close to 300 000 women lose their life due to pregnancy or childbirth each year, while over 2 million babies die in their first month of life and around 2 million more are stillborn. That’s roughly 1 preventable death every 7 seconds. Based on current trends, a staggering 4 out of 5 countries are off track to meet targets for improving maternal survival by 2030. 1 in 3 will fail to meet targets for reducing newborn deaths.
Listening to women and supporting families
Women and families everywhere need high quality care that supports them physically and emotionally, before, during and after birth. Health systems must evolve to manage the many health issues that impact maternal and newborn health. These not only include direct obstetric complications but also mental health conditions, non communicable diseases and family planning.
(The author is Professor and Head Community Medicine GMC Jammu)
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