Every year, the World Health Organization dedicates April 7th to celebrating health awareness around the world. World Health Day, created by the World Health Organization (WHO), brings awareness to significant health issues, from child care to medication accessibility. Using planned activities, the WHO takes the opportunity to direct the world's attention to a different global health issue every year. This World Health Day, consider celebrating health awareness and accessibility by staying healthy and finding savings on your prescriptions through services such as RxLess.
World Health Day 2021
This year, World Health Day is dedicated to health equity and building a fairer, healthier world. Inequality has affected healthcare everywhere. On World Health Day 2021, the WHO calls upon leaders to help out those struggling with access to healthcare. The celebrations include webinars to educate participants and a particular emphasis on the WHO's #VaccinEquity campaign. Overall, the day will celebrate and educate leaders on keeping their nations healthy--from nutrition to mental health.
History of World Health Day
The first World Health Day took place in 1950, two years after the first World Health Assembly. During this era, global leaders realized the importance of supporting health initiatives. As the World Health Organization grew, World Health Day became an important reminder of the WHO's founding and the fight against health issues worldwide.
Each year, the WHO sponsors events to spread awareness and educate local, regional, and global audiences. Government and NGOs work with the WHO to organize activities and obtain media attention.
Past Themes
Themes throughout the ages have reflected the health concerns of the era. Past themes have included "Global Polio Eradication," "Make Every Mother and Child Count," and "Depression: Let's Talk." Each theme is a call to action for leaders to address physical and mental health issues and for individuals to take charge of their health.
Many past themes have similarities to this year's focus on healthcare equality by pointing out the difference that access to treatment and medicine could make. For example, the 2013 World Health Day "Healthy Heart Beat, Healthy Blood Pressure" called upon governments and other stakeholders to raise awareness for hypertension and make measurement and treatment available for all. Blood pressure medication is an important part of treatment plans, which the WHO acknowledged in its call for accessibility.
Several years later, the 2016 theme on diabetes, a rapidly increasing yet very treatable disease, focused on:
- Increasing prevention measures on national levels.
- Strengthening care measures.
- Enhancing data collection measures on diabetes.
Affordable medicine options, alongside diet and exercise, are a vital part of avoiding diabetes complications. The WHO estimates 422 million people globally have diabetes, directly causing approximately 1.5 million deaths. Accessible and affordable treatment plays a vital role in the WHO's plan to reduce these numbers.
Celebrate Yourself
To celebrate World Health Day in your home, try asking yourself how to maximize healthcare accessibility in your life. Medication costs can be a huge barrier to health, yet medicine is an essential aspect of healing. One way to help out with these costs is RxLess, a completely free service that can give up to 88% off your prescription drugs through coupons and discounts at the pharmacy. Affordable and accessible medicine is a great way to celebrate health awareness and equality this World Health Day.
