It is said that “Health is Wealth” and is the most important asset one can hold. Why? Because no matter how much a person has materially, none of it matters unless they have the health to enjoy it. Sleeping on a bed of cash means nothing if we’re terminally ill. Whether it is the abundance of lack thereof, health affects us all—and World Health Day is a testament to this.
World Health Day is an event that is celebrated by countries across the globe. It is seen as an opportunity to draw worldwide attention to global health each year, organizing international, regional and local events. In celebration of World Health Day today, let us all take a minute to thank the care professionals that do the impossible—time and time again. Whether you know a family member, friend, colleague, or even a stranger that works within this field, thank them and let them know that their hard work is appreciated by each and every one of us. But how exactly did World Health Day come to be and why is it on April 7th?
A Brief History on World Health Day
The first World Health Day was intended to be hosted on July 22nd, 1949. When 61 nations flew to New York at the First Health Assembly to sign the charter for the World Health Organization, this was the date that was agreed upon. The original goal of World Health Day wasn’t to bring awareness to specific health issues much like it is today, but rather focused on encouraging the public’s interest in supporting the aims of the Organization.
In preparation for the inaugural celebration, each individual governing body was charged with organizing their own local events in their countries. Of course, this was met with varying degrees of participation. While some countries such as New Zealand led the charge with both national and local events, other countries voiced their concerns, stating that they didn’t have enough time to prepare or thought the celebration could be more impactful when children weren’t off on school holidays. The World Health Organization agreed, deciding that it would be best to postpone the celebration and change the date to something more suitable. This led to April 7th becoming World Health Day.
70 Years Later
Today, 70 years later, we continue the celebration of this very important event. It not only celebrates the miracles that healthcare professionals across the globe perform tirelessly in their day-to-day routine, but also creates awareness around health issues. Every year, World Health Day sports a new theme such as mental health, maternal and childcare, food safety and climate change. This year, we celebrate the contributions of nurses and midwives. The undeniable work they put forth as frontline staff is critical to our society maintaining a healthy world.
As our contribution to world health, AccessEMR will provide better solutions for care facilities so they can allocate more of their efforts on what is most important: Providing better quality of care to their patients. Book a demo with us today to learn more about our product features and how we aim to improve long-term care facilities across the North America.