World Health Day 2022...Our planet, our health.

World Health Day is celebrated every year on the anniversary of the founding day of the World Health Organization. It's a day to focus on and raise awareness around health issues that affect people all over the globe. The theme for World Health Day 2022 is ‘Our Planet, Our Health’.

The World Health Organization (WHO) convened the first World Health Assembly in 1948, which called for the establishment of a "World Health Day."

The first World Health Day was held on April 7, 1950, and it has been observed on this date every year thereafter.

Health, according to the World Health Organization, is fundamental to human happiness and well-being. It also contributes significantly to economic advancement, since healthy people live longer and are more productive.

Health encompasses not only bodily well-being but also mental and social well-being. If a person possesses all three, he or she is said to be healthy.

Our political, social and commercial decisions are driving the climate and health crisis. Over 90% of people breathe unhealthy air resulting from burning of fossil fuels. A heating world is seeing mosquitos spread diseases farther and faster than ever before. Extreme weather events, land degradation and water scarcity are displacing people and affecting their health. Pollution and plastics are found at the bottom of our deepest oceans, the highest mountains, and have made their way into our food chain. Systems that produce highly processed, unhealthy foods and beverages are driving a wave of obesity, increasing cancer and heart disease while generating a third of global greenhouse gas emissions.

We can all do our part to save the planet and improve our health. It’s not just about speaking to the people in charge. Talk to your friends, neighbors and colleagues and get them to make positive changes too. Speak up, speak to everyone, and make your voice heard.

Being politically engaged is not limited to voting and it certainly isn’t limited by how young you are. Every year more and more young people are working together to show our political leaders that they want change.

We need to ensure we hold our politicians accountable. You can do that by attending constituency meetings where you will have an opportunity to make your voice heard.

Recycling what we can reduces the amount of new materials we are making, and up-cycling is a creative way to make old items into something more valuable. This could be reusing a jam jar as a candle holder, or using old tins as plant pots – the possibilities are endless!

It’s not just the products we buy. It’s estimated that a third of all food produced in the world is lost or wasted. Do your part by eating up leftovers and use any ingredients you have spare to make interesting meals. Try to waste as little food as possible, and compost the organic waste you can’t eat.

Little changes mean a lot. Recycle, re-purpose, and re-use to help our planet and our health.