World Health Day

World Health Day
A 1980 Libyan commemorative stamp recognizing World Health Day
Observed byAll Member States of the World Health Organization
Date7 April
Next time7 April 2024 (2024-04-07)
Frequencyannual

World Health Day is a global health awareness day celebrated every year on 7 April, under the sponsorship of the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as other related organizations.

In 1948, the WHO held the First World Health Assembly. The Assembly decided to celebrate 7 April of each year, with effect from 1950, as the World Health Day. The World Health Day is held to mark WHO's founding and is seen as an opportunity by the organization to draw worldwide attention to a subject of major importance to global health each year.[1] The WHO organizes international, regional and local events on the Day related to a particular theme. World Health Day is acknowledged by various governments and non-governmental organizations with interests in public health issues, who also organize activities and highlight their support in media reports, such as the Global Health Council.[2]

World Health Day is one of 11 official global health campaigns marked by WHO, along with World Tuberculosis Day, World Immunization Week, World Malaria Day, World No Tobacco Day, World AIDS Day, World Blood Donor Day, World Chagas Disease Day, World Patient Safety Day, World Antimicrobial Awareness Week and World Hepatitis Day.[3]

  1. ^ World Health Organization: World Health Day. Accessed 16 March 2011.
  2. ^ Global Health Council: World Health Day Archived 30 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine by Lara Endreszl, 7 April 2009.
  3. ^ World Health Organization: WHO campaigns. Archived 3 March 2013 at the Wayback Machine