World Health Day
By Dr Arvind Kumar
World Health Day is celebrated every year on 7 April, under the aegis of World Health Organization (W.H.O.). It was in 1948 that the World Health Organization held the first World Health Assembly, which decided to observe 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. Events related to this Day and pertaining to a particular theme are organized at international, regional, natioal and local levels in collaboration with W.H.O.
The theme of the current World Health Day is “Antimicrobial resistance and its global spread” and focuses on the need for governments and stakeholders to implement the policies and practices needed to prevent and counter the emergence of highly resistant microorganisms. When infections caused by resistant microorganisms fail to respond to standard treatments, including antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines – also known as drug resistance – this may result in prolonged illness and greater risk of death. For World Health Day 2011, WHO has called for intensified global commitment to safeguard antimicrobial medicines for future generations. The World Health Day is acknowledged by various governments and non-governmental organizations with interests in public health isssues, who also organize activities and highlight their support in media reports, such as through press releases issued in recent years.
