 "image")
When is World Health Day
World Health Day is celebrated on April 7 every year. It is an initiative taken by the World Health Organization (WHO) to raise awareness about the overall health and well-being of people across the world.
Each year, there is a specific theme for World Health Day. The theme for World Health Day 2020 was to support nurses and midwives. WHO chose the year 2020 as the "Year of the Nurse and Midwife" to honour their contribution in making the world a healthier place.
Nurses and midwives play a key role in caring for people everywhere. Including in times of outbreaks and settings that are fragile or in conflict.
Globally, women comprise 70 percent of the health and social workforce. Nurses and midwives represent a large part of this. This time, WHO honoured the health workers who played a key role in responding to the Covid-19 pandemic.
World Health Day: History and significance
According to the WHO website, the First World Health Assembly, held in 1948, asked to institute a World Health Day to raise global awareness on specific themes related to health in order to highlight an area of importance for the WHO. Therefore, since 1950, the World Health Day has been celebrated on April 7 every year. The WHO uses the day to mark the launch of a long-term programme, in relation to which activities are undertaken and resources are provided much beyond April 7.