World Health Day is April 7 and begins a celebration that promotes a different theme each year. This year, the World Health Organization has themed the event, “Building a Fairer, Healthier World,” and aims to draw attention to the disparities between people around the world when it comes to access to health treatments and services.
Discover how you can celebrate World Health Day. And if you’re in need of treatment for substance use or mental health issues, reach out to a treatment center near you today.
What Is World Health Day?
World Health Day’s first event was in 1950, and today it continues as a day of global awareness. The theme highlights the World Health Organization’s priority, which is an area of concern the WHO is particularly focused on for the following year.
In 2021, the theme “Building a Fairer, Healthier World” is being used to highlight the differences in how some people in the world receive medical care and services. The differences in care and access to care were highlighted over the last year as the world fought the coronavirus COVID-19.
World Health Day Calls for Action
World Health Day’s intention is to draw attention to major issues. For 2021, some areas of focus include inequality in:
- Gender
- Education
- Housing conditions
- Employment opportunities
- Health care
- Mental health care access
- Access to clean water and air
- Access to food
The WHO points out that the majority of these issues are preventable, even though they’re unfair. The organization calls on community leaders and professionals to start monitoring for health inequalities in particular so that people have access to quality health services whenever they are needed.
COVID-19’s Influence on World Health Day 2021
COVID-19 has had an influence on World Health Day in 2021, as it was seen how the virus badly impacted certain areas of the world while others were relatively unscathed. Differences in access to medical care meant significant variances in death and injury rates, which would have been largely avoidable if the right medical attention and equipment had been available.
COVID-19 has hit every county hard, but the impact was seen to be worse in communities where they were already vulnerable to medical and environmental emergencies. The impact was worse in communities where people were less likely to have access to the high-quality medical care they needed or where more people were exposed to the disease. These same communities may have also experienced adverse consequences as a result of the steps that were taken to try to control the pandemic.
How Can You Partake in World Health Day?
The WHO’s goal is to make sure that everyone around the world has access to quality health care. For this year, those who want to participate in World Health Day should:
- Thank a medical provider, doctor, nurse, aide, or other professional
- Take steps to educate yourself and your community about COVID-19 and other factors that may impact your access to health care
- Focus on taking care of yourself, including seeking treatment for mental health conditions, substance abuse concerns, or other diagnoses.
By working together, you and your community can tackle inequalities, collect data, and make real changes that make the world better for everyone around you.
Contact Georgia Addiction Treatment Center Today
If you would like to participate in World Health Day and want to learn more about how you can assist in your community, we’d be happy to chat with you. At Georgia Addiction Treatment Center, we offer addiction treatment services and high-quality mental health care to those in our communities. If you or someone you love is struggling with a substance use disorder or would like to help spread awareness in your community, we’re here to help. Call us today at [Direct], and we will speak with you more about how we can assist you.
