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World Health Day 2024: Date, theme, significance and all you need to know
The world comes together to celebrate World Health Day, which falls today, on April 7. This day marks the World Health Organization's (WHO) founding and its goal of promoting better health for all.
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Marking the establishment of World Health Organization in 1948, World Health Day is observed today
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Primary focus of this year's theme is on each person's inherent right to fair access to healthcare
World Health Day, observed globally on April 7, is a momentous occasion that honors the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1948 as per CNBC. Since its beginning, this day has played a major role in promoting better healthcare across the globe and increasing public awareness of a variety of health-related issues.
History
The indisputable need for a worldwide health authority emerged in the years following World War II, which is when World Health Day first emerged. In order to address urgent health issues and advance global well-being, the WHO was established in 1948. In celebration of the founding of this important organization, the first World Health Day was observed on April 7, 1950, two years later.
Significance
World Health Day has provided an opportunity to draw attention to the important role of basic healthcare, access to clean water, and sanitation over the years. It also sheds light on the need for universal access to healthcare and throws light on the persistent health issues that communities around the world face.
"World Health Day highlights the fundamental right of every individual to attain the highest possible standard of health," says Dr. Maria Neira, director of the WHO's Department of Environment, Climate Change, and Health. 
The theme of World Health Day 2024
Every year, World Health Day chooses a theme that represents the most pressing issues in global health. 'My Health, My Right,' this year's theme, points out everyone's natural right to prioritize and protect their health.
It promotes fair access to healthcare services as well as giving people the freedom to take charge of their own well-being. The WHO's Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, says, "The theme shows the value of recognizing health as a fundamental human right, ensuring that every individual has the opportunity to lead a healthy life."
The need to ensure that everyone has equitable access to healthcare is more important than ever as the globe continues to deal with a number of health issues, such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
On World Health Day, we are reminded of the pressing need to confront inequalities in access to healthcare and to push for laws that value health as a fundamental human right.
The Pan American Health Organization's (PAHO) director, Dr. Carissa F. Etienne, states that "access to healthcare should not be a privilege but a fundamental right for all individuals, regardless of their socio-economic status."
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