World Health Day Date in the current year: April 7, 2024

The WHO is a specialized agency of the United Nations that is concerned with international public health. Its constitution was signed on July 22, 1946, but formally came into effect on April 7, 1948 after being ratified by the 26th member state of 51. The anniversary of this event has been celebrated as World Health Day since 1950.

World Health Day focuses on drawing international attention to global health issues. Each year, a new theme of the day is chosen, reflecting a subject of major importance to global health. Past themes include “Small bite, big threat” (vector-borne diseases), “Healthy blood pressure”, “Aging and health”, “Antimicrobial resistance”, “Urbanization and health”, and others.

Events related to the chosen theme are organized at international, regional, and local levels. World Health Day activities are organized by the WHO and numerous government and non-governmental organizations interested in public health issues. The WHO provides campaign materials for those who intend to organize events: toolkits, fact sheets, etc.