World Health Day 2025 : Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures
- 7th of April -

Dr Kshetrimayum Kala Singh *

“The health of mothers and babies is the foundation of healthy families and communities, helping ensure hopeful futures for us all”

The World Health Day is celebrated by the people all across the world every year on 7th of April under the leadership of World Health Organisation to draw the mass people attention towards the importance of global health.

A proposal was put forward by Brazil and China for creation of an organization to take health related issues all over the world. The proposal presented in 1945 stated this body should be totally independent of any Government powers and focuses equally on health related issues of whole world.

In 1946, establishment of WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION (WHO) was approved in New York. World Health Assembly was held 1st time in the year 1948 in Geneva by the WHO where it was decided to celebrate the World Health Day annually on 7th April. It was 1st celebrated worldwide in the year 1950 as the World Health Day.

It is an annual event being celebrated for years to raise the common public awareness towards the health issues and concerns. A particular theme is chosen to run the celebration and to take care of the health for whole year.

The theme for this year is “Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures” will urge Governments and the health community to ramp up efforts to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths, and to prioritize women's longer-term health and well being.

WHO and partners will also share useful information to support healthy pregnancies and births, and better postnatal health.

Helping every woman and baby survive and thrive

o This task is critical. Tragically, based on currently published estimates, close to 300,000 women lose their life due to pregnancy or childbirth each year, while over 2 million babies die in their first month of life and around 2 million more are stillborn. That's roughly 1 preventable death every 7 seconds.

o Based on current trends, a staggering 4 out of 5 countries are off track to meet targets for improving maternal survival by 2030. 1 in 3 will fail to meet targets for reducing newborn deaths.

Listening to women and supporting families

o Women and families everywhere need high quality care that supports them physically and emotionally, before, during and after birth.

o Health systems must evolve to manage the many health issues that impact maternal and newborn health. These not only include direct obstetric complications but also mental health conditions, non- communicable diseases and family planning.

o Additionally, women and families should be supported by laws and policies that safeguard their health and rights.

Campaign goals

o To raise awareness about gaps in maternal and newborn survival and the need to prioritize women's longer-term well-being.
o To advocate for effective investments that improve the health of women and babies.
o To encourage collective action to support parents as well as health professionals who provide critical care.
o To provide useful health information relating to pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period.

World Health Day is celebrated worldwide by the Goverment, non-Government, NGOs including various health organizations at many places by organizing programmes relating to the public health issues and awareness.

Participating organizations highlight their activities and supports through the media reports by means of press releases, news and etc. Health authorities from different country take part in the celebration with their pledges in order to support on the health issues worldwide.

World Health Day targets all the health issues on global basis for which several programs are organized yearly by the WHO and other related health organizations at various places like schools, colleges and other crowd places. It is celebrated to remember the establishment of the World Health Organization as well as draw the attention of people towards the major health issues in the world.

WHO is a vast health organization working under UN for addressing the health issues on a global basis. Since its establishment it has addressed serious health issues including chickenpox, polio, smallpox, TB, leprosy and etc. from various developing countries. It has played a significant role aiming to make the world a healthy world. It has all the statistic about global health reports.

The World Health Organization has been involved in mobilizing many health efforts the world over. Describing what medicines are essential for public health, and which diseases to give a particular focus to. The movement to eradicate smallpox started in 1958, initiated by pressure from Viktor Zhdanov, the Deputy Minister of Health for the then USSR.

In 1979 the WHO declared that smallpox had in fact been eradicated, making it the first disease in history to be eliminated by the dedicated efforts of humans.

World Health Day is one of 11 official global health campaigns run by the World Health Organization, along with World Hepatitis Day, World Tuberculosis Day, World Chagas Disease Day, World Patient Safety Day, World Immunization Week, World No Tobacco Day, World AIDS Day, World Malaria Day, World Blood Donor Day and World Antimicrobial Awareness Week.

Mr. Erasmus, the 16th century Dutch philosopher said that prevention is better than cure. Preventive methods help us in saving from deadly and fatal diseases which can’t’ be cured.

“IT IS EASIER TO STOP SOMETHING HAPPENING IN THE 1ST PLACE THAN TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE AFTER IT HAS HAPPENED”