World Health Day

Prevention and preparedness for future health threats requires more than technical solutions – it depends on trust, transparency, collaboration and engagement with communities. As Dr Holohan emphasizes, building resilience means working closely with populations, strengthening understanding and ensuring people are equipped to act on scientific advice. “ And without that trust in science, that togetherness and solidarity, we can’t effectively implement the measures that, based on scientific research, we know are likely to work,” he says. A One Health approach brings these elements together, ensuring that science, systems and societies work as one to protect health.

This year’s World Health Day , 7 April 2026, kick-starts a year-long campaign to celebrate the power of scientific collaboration to advance health, save lives and transform societies. This includes using science to protect the health of people, animals, plants and the planet. Human health is inextricably linked and interdependent with that of domestic and wild animals, plants and the wider environment, necessitating an integrated approach to sustainably balance and optimize the health of all of these elements – a so-called One Health approach. “Health security begins where humans, animals and the environment meet, ” explains Dr Ihor Perehinets, Health Security and Regional Emergency Director, WHO/Europe. “The COVID-19 pandemic taught us that it is not a question of if new health threats will emerge but when, so protecting human health requires strengthening all the systems that sustain life, through incorporating nature and biodiversity into health policy and investing in laboratorie...

 One Health Approach: The campaign emphasizes that human, animal, and environmental health are interdependent, requiring integrated surveillance and action to prevent future pandemics.   April 7th , Celebration of the  World Health Day 2026 .  Pan American Health Organization .

  Under the theme "Stand with Science"; The WHO calls on governments, scientists, and communities to rebuild trust in science, combat misinformation, and make decisions based on evidence.   April 7th , Celebration of the  World Health Day 2026 .  Pan American Health Organization .

Scientific Collaboration: The observance will highlight the work of WHO's network of over 800 collaborating centers (one-third of which are in the European region) that drive research and technical assistance.   April 7th , Celebration of the  World Health Day 2026 .  Pan American Health Organization .

  Global Moments: The 2026 celebrations are anchored by the International One Health Summit in France (April 5–7) and the inaugural Global Forum of WHO Collaborating Centres (April 7–9) April 7th , Celebration of the  World Health Day 2026 . Pan American Health Organization .

On World Health Day 2026 , we unite and mobilize the region under the theme “ Together for Science ” celebrating the power of scientific collaboration to protect the health of people, animals, plants, and the planet. This year we spotlight scientific achievements, One Health, and the multilateral cooperation needed to turn evidence into action.