What it is
From the World Health Organization's inception at the First World Health Assembly on April 7, 1948, and since taking effect in 1950, the World Health Day celebration has aimed to create global awareness of a specific health theme to highlight a priority area of concern.
The theme for 2024 is My Health, My Right.
My Health, My Right
Around the world, the right to health of millions is increasingly coming under threat. Diseases and disasters loom large as causes of death and disability. Conflicts are devastating lives, causing death, pain, hunger, and psychological distress.
The burning of fossil fuels is simultaneously driving the climate crisis and taking away our right to breathe clean air, with indoor and outdoor air pollution claiming a life every five seconds.
The WHO Council on the Economics of Health for All has found that at least 140 countries recognize health as a human right in their constitution. Yet countries are not passing and putting into practice laws to ensure their populations are entitled to access health services. This underpins the fact that at least 4.5 billion people — more than half of the world’s population — were not fully covered by essential health services in 2021.
To address these types of challenges, this year’s theme was chosen 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 and environmental conditions, and freedom from discrimination.
Key messages
Know your health rights. You and your loved one have the right to:
safe and quality care, without any discrimination.
privacy and confidentiality of your health information.
information about your treatment and informed consent.
bodily autonomy and integrity.
You and your loved one also have the right to make decisions about your own health.
Protect your right to health as a basic human right. Everyone should have access to the health services they need when and where they need them, without facing financial hardship. So, if you or your loved one cannot access healthcare, that’s not right. Here are some ways to take action:
Advocate – appeal to political leaders, join health communities demanding action and participate in petitions and discussions.
Organize your community – e.g., at work, or church – to agree on what needs to change and how. Then make it happen locally and advocate globally.
Promote the right to health as an intrinsic pillar of our broader human rights. Respecting our right to health means respecting our rights to access safe drinking water, clean air, good nutrition, quality housing, decent working conditions, and freedom from violence and discrimination.
Champion health as a priority. Get involved with decision-making around health. Examples of how to participate include advocating for your loved one with their providers and within their community, attending town hall meetings and citizen assemblies, focus groups and consultations, health councils, steering groups, and review boards.
WHO global public health days
Global public health days offer great potential to raise awareness and understanding about health issues and mobilize support for action, from the local community to the international stage. There are many world days observed throughout the year related to specific health issues or conditions – from Alzheimer's to zoonoses.
However, WHO focuses particular attention on the 11 days and 2 weeks that WHO Member States have mandated as "official" global public health days. These include World Health Day on April 7 every year.
