April 7, 2023 – World Health Day

On 7 April 2023, World Health Day, the World Health Organization will celebrate its 75th anniversary.

WHO was founded on the collective initiative of the world's countries in 1948 to promote people's health, maintain global safety, and serve the interests of vulnerable populations, so that every person, wherever they may be, has the opportunity to achieve the highest level of health and well-being.

Achieving Universal Health Coverage is one of the goals set by the world's countries when adopting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015 for the period up to 2030. At the 2019 High-Level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, countries reaffirmed that health is a prerequisite, as well as an ultimate outcome and indicator of activities related to the social, economic, and environmental components of sustainable development.

Health for all is WHO's policy direction for achieving a level of health for all people in the world that enables them to lead an active productive, social, and personal life.

The right to health is a fundamental human right. Every person should have the opportunity to receive the medical care they need at any time and in any place.

According to WHO, thirty percent of the world's population does not have access to basic health services. Nearly two billion people face catastrophic and impoverishing out-of-pocket health expenses due to severe inequalities, which primarily affect the most vulnerable populations.

To make health for all a reality, WHO calls on states to ensure that every person and every population group, while caring for their own health and the health of their loved ones, can receive high-quality medical care; that qualified healthcare workers provide effective assistance to people, taking into account their needs and interests; and that authorities purposefully allocate resources to ensure universal health coverage.

According to available data, health systems based on primary health care are capable of ensuring maximum accessibility of health and well-being services at minimal cost.

Achieving universal health coverage and ensuring emergency preparedness requires well-functioning health systems.

For health protection, WHO recommends increasing taxes on tobacco, alcohol, sugar-sweetened beverages, and fossil fuels. Such taxes generate much-needed revenue for government budgets.

Creating incentives and opportunities that encourage individuals, families, and communities to actively participate in society and take charge of their own health. Participation should be conscious and proactive, and health decisions and outcomes should meet people's needs and interests.

In accordance with the Law of the Republic of Belarus "On Healthcare," the main principles of state policy of the Republic of Belarus in the field of healthcare are:

creating conditions for the preservation, strengthening, and restoration of the population's health;

ensuring the accessibility of medical care, including drug supply;

prioritizing preventive measures;

prioritizing the development of primary healthcare;

prioritizing medical care, including drug supply, for minors, women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period, disabled persons, and veterans in accordance with legislation;

ensuring the sanitary and epidemiological well-being of the population and its future generations;

fostering a responsible attitude of the population towards preserving, strengthening, and restoring their own health and the health of others;

accountability of state bodies and organizations for the health status of the population;

accountability of employers for the health status of employees.

Citizens of the Republic of Belarus have the right to accessible medical care, which is ensured by:

providing free medical care based on state minimum social standards in healthcare within state healthcare institutions;

provision of medical care in state healthcare organizations, non-state healthcare organizations, and by individual entrepreneurs engaged in medical activities in the manner prescribed by law, at the expense of their own funds, funds of legal entities, and other sources not prohibited by law;

availability of medicines;

implementation of measures for the sanitary and epidemiological well-being of the population;

conducting medical examinations.

Healthcare organizations, within their competence, carry out medical prevention by conducting medical examinations, population health check-ups, early intervention measures, promotion of a healthy lifestyle, ensuring the sanitary and epidemiological well-being of the population, including preventive vaccinations, and other medical prevention measures in accordance with this Law and other legislative acts.

When preparing and holding World Health Day, the main theme of the events should be the formation of motivation among all social groups of the population to adhere to health preservation and strengthening, to abandon bad habits, and to lead a healthy lifestyle.

During the events, mass, group, and individual forms of work should be used; initiating the participation of all interested structures in holding events within the framework of World Health Day.

Department of Public Health

State Institution "Vitebsk Regional Center

for Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public Health"

When preparing the information material

materials from WHO were used