World Health Day

TODAY, we join the world in celebrating World Health Day to mark the founding anniversary of the World Health Organization in 1948. World Health Day was conceptualized right after the First World Health Assembly in 1948 and since it took effect in 1950, it has been celebrated on April 7 each year. It aims to draw worldwide attention to a specific health concern with global impact and to solicit collective action to protect people’s health and well-being.

Every year, a specific global health concern is given priority. This year, World Health Day focuses on the theme Universal Health Care Coverage: Everyone, Everywhere, to strengthen its campaign on the importance of equity in health care services not only for the health of the people but also for the health of economies and society at large. Under the concept of universal coverage, health care services would be made accessible to everyone without the risk of financial ruin or impoverishment.

The indigents will have no out-of-pocket expenses that exceed a given threshold of affordability.

As part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), all member states of the United Nations agreed to try to achieve universal health coverage by 2030. There are many challenges in the achievement of this goal but many countries are trying their best in ensuring the improvement of their health care systems because it is believed that an environment with healthier people will do a much better contribution in the development of a nation.

In the Philippines, President Rodrigo R. Duterte signed the Universal Health Care Act into law on February 20, 2019. He said that the signing of the law will guarantee equitable access and affordable health care services for all Filipinos.

Let us support the call of the World Health Organization for universal health care coverage and congratulate them on the occasion of the 71st World Health Day.