World Health Day

  Research shows that social and economic factors account for a substantial proportion of health outcomes . For example, health-sector investments accounted for only half the reduction in under-5 mortality between 1990 and 2010 in low- and middle-income countries (through effective interventions such as immunization and other child health interventions, skilled birth attendance and maternal and newborn services, and family planning). The other half of reductions resulted from health-enhancing investments in other sectors. e.g. improved levels of education, women’s political and socioeconomic participation and environmental management (e.g. for access to clean water, clean fuels and technologies), and reduced levels of fertility and poverty. This shows how all sectors can influence health and well-being , and share accountability for reducing health inequities.

  On World Health Day 2021 , we will be inviting you to join a new campaign to build a fairer, healthier world. We’ll be posting more details here shortly, but here’s why we’re doing this: Our world is an unequal one. As COVID-19 has highlighted, some people are able to live healthier lives and have better access to health services than others - entirely due to the conditions in which they are born, grow, live, work and age.

  All over the world, some groups struggle to make ends meet with little daily income, have poorer housing conditions and education, fewer employment opportunities, experience greater gender inequality, and have little or no access to safe environments, clean water and air, food security and health services. This leads to unnecessary suffering, avoidable illness, and premature death. And it harms our societies and economies.

We are calling on leaders to ensure that everyone has living and working conditions that are conducive to good health.  At the same time we urge leaders to monitor health inequities, and to ensure that all people are able to access quality health services when and where they need them. 

  All over the world, some groups struggle to make ends meet with little daily income, have poorer housing conditions and education, fewer employment opportunities, experience greater gender inequality, and have little or no access to safe environments, clean water and air, food security and health services. This leads to unnecessary suffering, avoidable illness, and premature death. And it harms our societies and economies.

COVID-19 has hit all countries hard, but its impact has been harshest on those communities which were already vulnerable, who are more exposed to the disease, less likely to have access to quality health care services and more likely to experience adverse consequences as a result of measures implemented to contain the pandemic. Hello world, its World Health Day 2021 , it's time to build a fairer healthier world for everyone, everywhere.

 This is the second World Health Day to fall during the COVID-19 pandemic – the world’s worst peacetime health crisis in a century. It comes amidst gruelling and painful times for the world’s people who are dealing with the impacts of the pandemic, including those working in the health sector.  As of 1 April 2021, over 2.8 million people had died from the COVID-19 virus, and more than 130 million people had contracted it – many of whom now live with long-term health impacts. At the same time, the wider health consequences of the pandemic have left untold millions bearing the costs in terms of their emotional, social, and economic well-being. Loss of employment and income has exacerbated food insecurity; health services have been partially or completely disrupted across the world; and there have been adverse impacts on mental and physical health. The cost of COVID-19 is so high that it demands we do things differently: that we commit to building a fairer and healthier world b...