This Sunday, April 7, is World Health Day, celebrated annually as a global health awareness opportunity under the sponsorship of the World Health Organization (WHO). Like VA’s monthly Whole Health themes promoted regularly in BVA Happenings, World Health Day draws attention to a specific health topic of concern to people throughout the world each year. This year’s theme is “My Health, My Right.” The origin of the choice of dates stems from the founding of WHO on April 7, 1948. 

WHO asserts that the right to health is increasingly coming under threat due to disease, natural disasters, and international conflicts. The WHO Council on the Economics of Health for All has found that although at least 140 countries recognize health as a human right in their constitutions, they are not passing or enforcing laws to ensure that their populations can or will access health services.

WHO selected this year’s theme to champion the right of everyone, everywhere to have access to quality health services, education, and information, as well as safe drinking water, clean air, good nutrition, quality housing, decent working environmental conditions, and freedom from discrimination.

For more about WHO’s objectives for this year’s World Health Day as well as past themes, click here.