World Health Day Blog
World Health Day is celebrated globally and marks the 75th anniversary of the creation of WHO (World Health Organisation). According to WHO:
‘Around the world, the right to health of millions is increasingly coming under threat. Conflicts are devastating lives, causing death, pain, hunger and psychological distress’. (WHO website, 2024).
For World Health Day, WHO have created a simplistic tagline which they are hoping many can adopt. ‘My Health, My Right’. They are addressing the above difficulties by encouraging people to empower themselves and remind themselves and others that a healthy lifestyle is a human right.
The WHO organisation and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights were created in 1948. Both of these aim to recognise and promote the highest possible standard of physical and mental health for individuals (WHO website, 2024).
What are our human rights?
According to WHO:
‘The right to health includes entitlements, such as the right to control one’s health, informed consent, bodily integrity, and participation in health-related decision-making. It also includes freedoms, like freedom from torture, ill-treatment and harmful practices.
The right to health is closely related to and dependent on the realization of other human rights, including the rights to life, food, housing, work, education, privacy, access to information, freedom from torture and the freedoms of association, assembly and movement. It includes both nondiscriminatory access to quality, timely and appropriate health services and systems and to the underlying determinants of health’. WHO website (2024).
How we can look after ourselves
It is important for adults and young people to look after their physical bodies and also their own mental health. How can we do this? WHO states that it is important to have respect and integrity for our own bodies and mental health as well as others. Below are some ideas on how to improve our physical and mental health in some simple steps.
Physical Tips
- Partaking in exercise
- Replacing fizzy or alcoholic drinks with water
- Stretch before exercising
- Eat a varied diet and three meals a day
- Move often
- Get the appropriate amount of sleep
- Reduce or remove smoking, vaping or illegal drug use
Mental health Tips
- Take breaks where needed during work times and allow for rest
- Show kindness and compassion
- Be creative
- Create plans to look forward to (activities, holidays, breaks)
- Socialise with friends
- Seek support from a mental health service like The Link if you feel you need help with worries and anxieties
Events for World Health Day 2024 (7th April, 2024)
You may be marking this milestone at your workplace, school or in the community but here are 10 top ideas on how to celebrate World Health Day near you.
- Have a relaxing day at home, with friends and partake in something you enjoy
- Give yourself an achievable goal or target to give purpose and promote aspirations
- Speak to others about your health and theirs to encourage promoting positivity on the topic
- Do something creative (this could include movement and asking others to help you)
- Promote a balanced diet (eat well) but also allow for a treat or two…
- Prioritise safety and the feeling of safety in your life
- Try something new - book on to a first aid course? Raise money or awareness for a charity?
- Spend time with loved ones
- Practice meditation or yoga to instil peace
- Be kind to yourself if you do not manage any of the above. Sometimes awareness is the first means of change and when you are ready for it will be done.
Look after yourselves and remember that your health is your right (My Health, My Right).
Take care.
The Link