World Health Day

WORLD Health Day is observed today, April 7, to mark the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1948. It was conceptualized during the First Health Assembly in 1948 and since 1950 it has been annually observed to raise global awareness on important health issues worldwide.

It has been noted that half of the world’s population has not been able to obtain essential health services. Over 12 percent of the world’s population spends at least 10% of their household budgets on health expenses. These people has the right to benefit from the health services they need without sacrificing their other needs.

This year, on its 70th anniversary, WHO is reminding world leaders to live up to the pledges they made when they adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in 2015, and to commit to concrete steps in advancing the health of all people. The World Health Day theme this year is “Universal Health Coverage: Everyone, Everywhere.” The World Health Organization publication’s “Together on the Road to Universal Health Coverage – A Call for Action” defined Universal Health Coverage (UHC) “as central to achieving better health and well-being for all people at all ages. It delivers disease prevention, health promotion, and treatment for communicable and non-communicable diseases alike, while ensuring that individuals are not driven into poverty because of high costs.”

WHO Philippines is launching a photo and video challenge highlighting universal health coverage in the Philippines. The photo and video challenge aims to boost the conversation around the slogan “Health for All.”

Let us take part in this initiative as our way of spreading awareness on the need for Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and to inspire our leaders to do their part in the achievement of the SDG target which will benefit one billion people from UHC by 2023.