World Health Day 2021: Building a fairer, healthier world for everyone!

What is the need?

“The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition.”

As we all have seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, some people are able to live healthier lives and have better access to health services than others - entirely due to the conditions in which they are born, grow, live, work and age. 

All over the world, some groups struggle to make ends meet with 

little daily income, 

have poorer housing conditions and education, 

fewer employment opportunities, 

experience greater gender inequality, and 

have little or no access to safe environments, clean water, and air, food security and 

health services. 

This leads to unnecessary suffering, avoidable illness, and premature death. And it harms our societies and economies.

That’s why it is needed to ensure that everyone has living and working conditions that are conducive to good health.  

At the same time, we have to monitor health inequities and ensure that all people are able to access quality health services when and where they need them. 

COVID-19 has hit all countries hard, but its impact has been harshest on those communities which were already vulnerable, who are more exposed to the disease, less likely to have access to quality health care services, and more likely to experience adverse consequences as a result of measures implemented to contain the pandemic.

When is it celebrated?

The World Health Day celebrated annually on 7th April and each year it draws attention to a specific health topic of concern to people all over the world. 

The date of 7 April marks the anniversary of the founding of WHO in 1948 and since taking effect in 1950. 

This year, On World Health Day, 7 April 2021, we will be joining hands together for a new campaign to "build a fairer, healthier world."

We need leaders to:

Work together: 

Work hand in hand with affected communities and individuals to address the root causes of inequities and to implement solutions – within and beyond the health sector – to address them. 

The impact will be greatest when governments and communities work together, in a coordinated approach.

Collect reliable data: 

Ensure collection and use of timely and reliable health data - disaggregated by gender, age, income, education, migratory status, disability, geographic location, and other characteristics relevant to the national context. 

Only then it is possible to assess inequities across population subgroups and take actions that have an impact. 

Tackle inequities: 

Adopt a whole-of-government approach to tackling the root causes of inequities and increase investment in primary health care. 

This is key to meeting today’s challenges of ensuring Health for All and to building the resilience of tomorrow. 

Act beyond borders: 

Act beyond national borders: For example, only when we can protect, test, and treat the whole global population can we end the COVID-19 pandemic. 

As well as assuring an equitable supply of vaccines, tests, and treatments, we must strengthen national and international mechanisms and build community trust and participation into their delivery and uptake to ensure access for all globally.

References:

1. https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-health-day/2021
2. https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-health-day
3. https://www.who.int/health-topics/social-determinants-of-health#tab=tab_1
4. https://www.who.int/health-topics/gender#tab=tab_1
5. https://www.who.int/health-topics/universal-health-coverage#tab=tab_1
6. https://www.who.int/health-topics/primary-health-care#tab=tab_1
7. https://www.who.int/health-topics/urban-health
8. https://www.who.int/activities/promoting-health-in-all-policies-and-intersectoral-action-capacities
9. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/human-rights-and-health
10. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/universal-health-coverage-(uhc)
11. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/primary-health-care
12. https://www.who.int/initiatives/sdg3-global-action-plan
13. https://www.who.int/data/gho/health-equity
14. https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB148/B148_R2-en.pdf
15. https://www.who.int/westernpacific/news/multimedia/infographics/health-equity
16. https://www.who.int/westernpacific/news/events/detail/2021/04/07/western-pacific-events/world-health-day-2021

World TB Day 2021: The Clock is Ticking!

What is the need?

TB remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious killers. 

Each day, nearly 4000 lose their lives to TB and close to 28,000 people fall ill with this preventable and curable disease. 

Global efforts to combat TB have saved an estimated 63 million lives since the year 2000.

India accounts for one-fourth of the global TB burden. In 2015, an estimated 28 lakh cases occurred and 4.8 lakh people died due to TB.  

When is it celebrated?

World Tuberculosis (TB) Day is celebrated every year on March 24 to raise public awareness about the devastating health, social and economic consequences of TB, and to step up efforts to end the global TB epidemic. 

The date marks the day in 1882 when Dr. Robert Koch announced that he had discovered the bacterium that causes TB, which opened the way towards diagnosing and curing this disease. 

This year the theme of World TB Day 2021 - ‘The Clock is Ticking’ –conveys the sense that the world is running out of time to act on the commitments to end TB made by global leaders. 

This is especially critical in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic that has put End TB progress at risk, and to ensure equitable access to prevention and care in line with WHO’s drive towards achieving Universal Health Coverage.

What is TB (Tuberculosis)?

Tuberculosis (TB) is a communicable disease caused by bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) that most often affect the lungs but can also affect other sites (extrapulmonary TB). Tuberculosis is curable and preventable.

How does it spread?

It spreads from person to person through the air, when people who are infected with TB infection cough, sneeze, or otherwise transmit respiratory fluids through the air. It is a disease that can be cured with proper treatment.

What are the symptoms?

Tuberculosis most commonly affects the lungs. Common symptoms of active lung TB   are:

• A persistent cough of more than two weeks that brings up phlegm and blood at times
• Breathlessness, which is usually mild, to begin with, and gradually gets worse
• Lack of appetite and weight loss
• A high temperature of 38ºC (100.4ºF) or above
• Extreme tiredness or fatigue
• Night sweats
• Chest pains
•  Less commonly TB infection  can occur in other organs of the body, as  :

Lymph nodes, bones and joints, digestive system, nervous system, bladder, and reproductive system. This is known as extrapulmonary TB. 

Symptoms of extrapulmonary TB vary according to organ/system affected. Extrapulmonary TB is more common in people with a weakened immune system, such as those with HIV.

What are the preventive measures?

The various infection control measures are:

• Early diagnosis, and proper management of TB patients.
• Health education about cough etiquettes and proper disposal of sputum by the patient. 
• Cough etiquette means covering the nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing. This can be done with a tissue, or if the person doesn’t have a tissue they can cough or sneeze into their upper sleeve or elbow, but they should not cough or sneeze into their hands. The tissue should then be safely disposed of.
• Houses should be adequately ventilated.
• Proper use of air-borne infection control measures in health care facilities and other settings.
• Contact tracing for search of any active TB case.
• Preventive therapy is recommended to Children < 6 years of age, who are close contacts of a TB patient.
• BCG vaccination- It is provided at birth or as early as possible till one year of age.
• Addressing social determinants of TB like poverty, malnutrition, urbanization, indoor air pollution, etc

The clock is ticking! A World TB Day campaign for action!

On World TB Day, WHO calls on everyone to keep the promise to:

Accelerate the End TB Response to reach the targets.

Diagnose and treat 40 million people with TB by 2022 including 3.5 million children and 1.5 million people with drug-resistant TB. 

This is in line with WHO’s an overall drive towards Universal Health Coverage and the WHO Director General’s flagship initiative “Find. Treat. All. #EndTB” jointly with the Global Fund and Stop TB Partnership.

References:

1. https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-tb-day/world-tb-day-2021#:~:text=The%20theme%20of%20World%20TB,TB%20made%20by%20global%20leaders.
2. https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-tb-day
3. https://nhp.org.in/en/health-programmes/2353-world-tb-day
4. https://www.cdc.gov/tb/worldtbday/default.htm
5. https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-tb-day
6. https://www.tballiance.org/world-tb-day-2021
7. https://www.nhp.gov.in/disease/respiratory/lungs/tuberculosis
8. https://www.euro.who.int/en/media-centre/events/events/2021/03/world-tb-day-2021-the-clock-is-ticking,-its-time-to-end-tb

World Oral Health Day 2021: Be Proud Of Your Mouth; value and take care of it!

What is the need?

Taking care of the mouth is very important for overall body health because the mouth and body are connected and the mouth is a mirror to the body that reflects the general health and well-being. 

Diseases like tooth decay, gum disease can affect routine things like eating, speaking, smiling, and sleeping. 

Therefore, there is a need for you to take a pledge to look after oral health for an enjoyable healthy life because it is crucial to keeping it functioning correctly for maintaining overall health and quality of life.

What is oral health?

According to WHO, Oral health is a state of being free from chronic mouth and facial pain, oral and throat cancer, oral sores, birth defects such as cleft lip and palate, periodontal (gum) disease, tooth decay, and tooth loss, and other diseases and disorders that affect the oral cavity.  

When is it celebrated?

World Oral Health Day is observed every year on 20th March. It focuses on highlighting the benefits of good oral health, spreads awareness about oral diseases, and promotes maintenance of oral hygiene.

The theme of the 2021 World Oral Health Day is "Be Proud Of Your Mouth. In other words, value and take care of it. "

Tips for maintaining good oral health

• Brush your teeth twice a day regularly.
• Brush thoroughly with a soft-bristled toothbrush.  
• Eat fruits that are rich in Vitamin C.
• Eat a healthy diet and avoid snacks in between meals. 
• Replace your toothbrush every three to four months or sooner if bristles are frayed
• Rinse your mouth after every meal.
• Floss daily to remove food particles that get stuck in between teeth and to remove plaque. 
• Don’t brush too hard. 
• Over-brushing erodes the enamel and irritates the gums. So, brush your teeth back and forth gently. 
• Avoid tobacco and alcohol consumption as they are the prime causes of oral cancer. 
• Use tongue cleaner every morning to remove tongue plaque and freshen your breath. 
• Avoid food and drinks which contain high sugar content to prevent tooth decay.
• Visit a dentist every 6 months and get an oral health check-up done.
• Avoid excessive intake of refined sugar foods like cakes, cookies, and candies.

It’s never too early or too late to start looking after oral health! 

References:

1. https://nhp.org.in/en/health-programmes/2350-world-oral-health-day
2. https://www.nhp.gov.in/healthlyliving/oral-health
3. https://www.worldoralhealthday.org/campaign-theme-2021-2023
4. https://www.worldoralhealthday.org/resources
5. https://www.worldoralhealthday.org/fact-sheet-protect-your-oral-health-during-covid-19-pandemic
6. https://www.worldoralhealthday.org/advertisement-oral-health-professionals
7. https://www.worldoralhealthday.org/press

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