WHO 2023 – 75 Years of Promoting Health, Safety and Serving the Vulnerable

The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for promoting health, preventing illness, and improving the overall well-being of people around the world.

World Health Day celebrates the anniversary of the founding of WHO every year on April 7. Each year WHO selects a theme for World Health Day to highlight a specific area of concern. The theme for World Health Day 2023 is “Health for All.”

WHO’s theme, “Health for All” seeks to address global health inequities. Health inequity refers to any community with limited ability to care for its residents due to geography, ethnicity, environmental conditions, or socio-economic status.

WHO defines health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being. It is not merely the absence of disease.

WHO works toward “Health for All” by:

• Focusing on improving access to primary healthcare and essential services.

• Setting international health standards

• Training healthcare providers and guiding them on important health issues.

• Improving access to medicines and other health products.

• Coordinating and supporting international responses to health emergencies.

In addition to its work on universal access to healthcare, WHO also provides emergency assistance to countries affected by natural disasters and other crises. Turkey recently suffered a massive earthquake affecting thousands. WHO deployed experts to the area to help with critical life-saving operations and to address the next steps in the country’s recovery. Those who survive such a massive event often need assistance dealing with trauma, communicable diseases, and a lack of access to medications and care for chronic conditions.

Sources: https://www.lihpao.com/who-definition-health/ | World Health Day 2023 - Health for All - PAHO/WHO | Pan American Health Organization | World Health Day 2023 - Health for All - PAHO/WHO | Pan American Health Organization