World Health Day

In the context of the 2026 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), the United Nations Friends of Vision (FoV), under the chairmanship of the Permanent Missions of Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, and Ireland to the United Nations, will convene this high-level side event to examine how governments and partners can better align policy, financing, and delivery systems to end avoidable sight loss and strengthen coordinated, cross-sector progress under the 2030 Agenda . Watch Act, Allocate, Accelerate: Advancing Coordinated SDG Delivery Through Eye Health (HLPF 2026 Side Event)! Side Events

Press conference of the Special Rapporteur on the right to health on her report to HRC62 focused on Health as an enabler of dignity. Speaker: Tlaleng Mofokeng, Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. Related Sites and Documents:  Report to HRC62 focused on Health as an enabler of dignity . Watch the OHCHR - Press Conference: Special Rapporteur on the right to health! 00:17:14 Press Conferences

  Opening ceremony of the World Health Summit (WHS) Regional Meeting 2026, bringing together high-level global and African health leaders. The Opening Ceremony of the World Health Summit (WHS) Regional Meeting 2026 marks the official commencement of a high-level global health gathering hosted in Nairobi. The session will convene senior leaders, including the President, over 20 Ministers from across Africa, and WHO's Regional Director, Dr. Janabi, alongside key stakeholders from the global health community. The World Health Summit is a leading international platform for global health, fostering collaboration, dialogue, and innovation to address pressing health challenges. The regional meeting in Africa provides a critical opportunity to advance health priorities on the continent, strengthen partnerships, and promote equitable access to health systems and solutions. This opening session sets the tone for discussions focused on improving health outcomes, enhancing resilience of healt...

On this World Health Day, Africa joins the global call: “Together for health. Stand with science.” The longer lives, effective prevention and life-saving treatments we value today are the result of decades of scientific progress. Across Africa, science is driving practical solutions that improve lives and contribute to global health. African scientists, institutions and communities have played a vital role in shaping responses to major health challenges. The rapid development and deployment of Ebola vaccines during outbreaks in West and Central Africa demonstrated the power of research rooted in local partnerships. Genomic sequencing in South Africa enabled the early identification of new COVID-19 variants, informing global responses. And the establishment of WHO-supported mRNA vaccine technology transfer hubs is paving the way for Africa to produce its own vaccines. Through science we are not only solving African problems, but helping shape global solutions. Across the Region, public...

“ Together for health. Stand with science ” is a call to action the world must heed. In these geopolitically fraught times, in which science and multilateralism have been facing strong headwinds, reflecting on their vital importance for our common future is crucial. Advancing the One Health approach—which recognizes that the health of people, animals, plants, and ecosystems are interdependent—requires that policies and action be grounded in science, not conjecture. It also requires international cooperation, because pandemics, antimicrobial resistance or the nefarious impacts of biodiversity loss, pollution and climate change do not stop at national borders. The science is clear. The diversity of genes, species and ecosystems constitutes a foundational determinant of the health of nature and all people. We know, for instance, that biodiversity loss is exacerbating infectious disease outbreaks that account for approximately 16 per cent of all deaths globally, and 44 per cent of deaths ...

World Health Day 2026 calls on all of us to stand with science. Science is the cornerstone of everything we do in health. It helps us understand diseases, develop vaccines and treatments, and deliver care more efficiently and affordably—making services more equitable and accessible. It enables better, evidence-based decisions and helps protect communities from the growing health risks linked to conflict, climate change and disease. This year’s theme—“ Together for health. Stand with science ”—reminds us that evidence alone is not enough. We need trust, cooperation and sustained investment to turn knowledge into action. Across our Region, health workers and scientists are working every day, often in the most difficult conditions, to save lives and strengthen systems—supported by WHO’s global network of over 800 collaborating centres. On this World Health Day, let us stand with them. Stand with science—for a healthier, safer future for all. Dr Hanan Balkhy