World Health Day 2022, “Our Planet Our Health” as theme by WHO

World Health Day 2022: The World Health Organization (WHO) created the first World Health Assembly in 1948 and established World Health Day. The first World Health Day was observed on 7 April 1950 and the day has been celebrated since then.

World Health Day is celebrated every year to give hope to the world, to re-imagine a world where clean air, water and food are available for all, where the economy is focused on health and wellness, where cities are liveable, and people have control over their own health and the health of the planet. Every year, a theme is chosen for the day and this time, it is "Our Planet, Our Health". With the theme, World Health Day 2022 aims to draw global attention to the well being of our planet and the humans living on it. There will be an emphasis on the need to protect people and the environment, of which we are all a part.

"The choice of this topic is motivated by the rising incidence of the coronavirus pandemic, pollution and diseases". WHO said on this year's theme. "On World Health Day 2022, WHO will focus global attention on the urgent actions needed to keep humans and the planet healthy and promote a movement to create a society focused on well-being," the global health agency said.

Ahead of World Health Day, WHO released a new air quality database, indicating that about 2,000 more cities/human settlements are now recording ground monitoring data for particulate matter, PM10 and/or PM2.5. Almost the entire global population (99%) is breathing air that exceeds WHO air quality limits and poses a threat to their health. A record number of cities exceeding 6000 in number, in 117 countries are now observing air quality, but people living in them are still breathing harmful levels of particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide, with people in low- and middle-income countries the most are at higher risk.

Estimates suggest that over 13 million deaths worldwide each year are caused by avoidable environmental factors. This comprises mainly of the climate crisis which is the biggest health threat facing humanity. The climate crisis is plays a significant role in health crisis.

Whereas, speaking about the corona virus crisis, WHO said that it demonstrated the healing power of science while highlighting the inequalities in the world. "The pandemic has revealed vulnerabilities in all sectors of society and underscores the urgency to create a sustainable welfare society committed to achieving equal health now and for generations to come, without breaking ecological boundaries," it said. "The current design of the economy leads to an unequal distribution of income, wealth and power, with many people still living in poverty and instability."

COVID-19 and some other deadly disease outbreaks around the world in modern times, including the 2009 swine flu pandemic, the West African Ebola epidemic between 2014 and 2016, the Zika virus outbreak and the Nipah virus, have shown the need for concerted efforts has shown. To be war ready and to deal with future pandemics to come.

In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted the world on World Health Day and said that his government's focus is on affordable healthcare. "It gives me immense pleasure when I interact with the beneficiaries of schemes like Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi," he tweeted. “Our focus on affordable healthcare has ensured significant savings for the poor and middle class. At the same time, we are strengthening our AYUSH network to further promote holistic health.” Modi also thanked the health professionals. "It is their hard work that has kept our planet safe," he said.