World Health Day is on the 7th of April each year. This day marks the anniversary of the World Health Organization which was founded in 1948.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is the leading global health authority within the United Nations System.
The work of WHO is varied and can mostly be summarized through their 6 point agenda.
- Promote Development
- Foster Health Security
- Strengthen Health Systems
- Harness information, research and evidence
- Enhance Partnerships
- Improve Performance
WHO uses the anniversary of their founding day not only as an opportunity to celebrate the organization and its work but also as an opportunity to highlight a current global health priority.
For each World Health Day, WHO designates a health challenge or theme. Previous years themes have included:
- Road Safety (2005)
- Shape The Future Of Life (2003)
- Protecting Health From Climate Change (2008)
- International Health Security (2007)
- Anti microbacterial Resistance: No Action Today No Cure Tomorrow (2011)
- Aging and Health (2012)
Each year is given a theme to highlight a different global health concern. This year’s (2017) is Depression: Let's Talk.
WHD 2017 is the highlight of a year-long campaign which seeks to raise awareness of depression and encourage those who are suffering with it to seek and get help.
Previous themes have included diabetes, vector-borne diseases, protecting health from climate change and road safety.
Depression: Know More- Depression is the leading cause of ill health world wide, according to WHO.
- It is estimated that more than 300 million people are living with depression, an increase of more than 18 per cent between 2005 and 2015.
- Depression has strong links with other noncommunicable disorders and diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, and increases the risk of substance abuse.
- Depression is also an important risk factor in suicide, which claims hundreds of thousands of lives each year.
- Treatment usually involves psychotherapy, antidepressant medication or a combination of both.
- The so-called talking cure administered by general doctors, nurses, or health care workers can be just as effective.
