News

“Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” World Health Organization

In 1948, the World Health Organization held the First World Health Assembly. The Assembly decided to celebrate 7 April of each year, with effect from 1950, as the World Health Day, which is meant to raise awareness of the need to improve global health. Each year, the WHO chooses a specific health related theme for World Health Day, which took place yesterday, and this year’s theme was “Universal health: Everyone, Everywhere.”

Universal health coverage is WHO’s number one goal, ensuring that everyone can obtain the care they need, when they need it, right in the heart of the community. Universal Health means that all people have access, without any kind of discrimination, to comprehensive quality services, wherever they need them, without facing financial difficulties.

The WHO asserts, following countless studies, that countries which invest in universal healthcare will make a “sound investment in their human capital”. Access to care and financial protection will not only truly improve someone’s health and life expectancy, but also “protects countries from epidemics, reduces poverty and the risk of hunger, creates jobs, drives economic growth and enhances gender equality”.