The purpose of World Health Day is to urge governments, organizations and businesses to share the responsibility for and invest in international health security. On April 7, 2007, various countries are hosting events based on the World Health Day theme, “Invest in health, build a safer future”, which emphasizes the need for collective defenses and shared responsibility for international health security.
To present effective, globally coherent messages, World Health Day activities are purposed around these key messages:
- Threats to health know no borders. Emerging epidemics cross national borders. Threats to health and security are multiplying and moving faster than ever before.
- Invest in health, build a safer future. Every country must invest in health and increase its capacity to prevent threats by strengthening public health systems.
- Health leads to security; insecurity leads to poor health. Protecting health and security requires political commitment and collaboration between governments, international organizations, civil society and the private sector.
- Preparedness and quick response improve international health security. Threats to health security come from emerging diseases like SARS and avian influenza, humanitarian emergencies, and bioterrorism. Defeating these threats involves working collectively to improve preparedness and to respond effectively.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) is making the world more secure. Its response to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and avian flu demonstrated the power of coordination and the importance of international health security.
WHO’s issues document at www.who.int/world-health-day/2 007 profiles international health security issues and identifies health awareness activities around the world, including: emerging and rapidly spreading diseases, environmental change, the ongoing danger of bioterrorism, sudden and intense humanitarian emergencies caused by natural disasters, chemical spills or radioactive accidents, and the impact of HIV/AIDS.
