World Health Day – Significance & Concerns

Why in news?

April 7^th of every year is celebrated as World Health Day under the sponsorship of WHO.

What is the significance of World Health Day?

• World Health Day is one of eight official global health campaigns marked by WHO.
• Which include World Tuberculosis Day, World Immunization Week, World Malaria Day, World No Tobacco Day, World AIDS Day, World Blood Donor Day, and World Hepatitis Day.
• On World Health day WHO organizes international, regional and local events related to a particular theme.
• It primarily focuses on universal health coverage by fixing medical infrastructure.
• For the year 2018 the theme is “Universal Health Coverage (UHC): Everyone, Everywhere”.

What are the measures suggested by WHO towards UHC?

• UHC ensures that all people get quality health services, where and when they need them, without suffering financial hardship and not having to make a choice between good health and other life necessities.
• WHO aims to
  1. Inspire – Policy makers by highlighting their power to transform health of the nation by driving policy change.
  2. Motivate – By providing examples of countries who have accomplished this goal and encourage them to find their own path.
  3. Guide - By providing tools for structured policy dialogue on how to advance UHC.

What is the status UHC in India?

• While India has done well on some indicators like immunisation of children for hepatitis B and Diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis.
• India’s health indicators such as Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) and under-5 Mortality Rate are still on the higher side.
• There is also an increasing number of deaths due to TB and Malaria.
• The probability of an individual dying of the non-communicable diseases such as cancer between ages 30 - 70 is nearly 20 per cent.
• India has a long way to go as its healthcare infrastructure are inadequate and healthcare professionals are deficit particularly in the poorer parts of the country.

Source: Business Line