The World Health Organization (WHO) declared April 7 World Health Day, marking the foundation of the organization in 1948. Each year, World Health Day is dedicated to a specific health issue, and is celebrated with different slogans and mottos.
The motto of 2021 is ‘Build a fairer, healthier world for all.’ With this motto WHO calls for action to get rid of health inequalities by joining people in a year-long global campaign to build a fairer, healthier world.
The campaign implements the WHO constitutional principle, according to which: “Achieving the highest standard of health is a fundamental human right, regardless of race, religion, and political belief, economic or social status.”
There is still inequality in healthcare in the world, which is not only unfair, but also threatens the progress made so far and may deepen social injustice. However, health inequalities can be prevented through strategies aimed at ensuring social justice, especially for the most vulnerable and marginalized groups.
Covid-19 is a severe blow for all countries; however, its impact is the most severe for the communities, which are already vulnerable, which have high level of diseases, which are less likely to receive healthcare of high quality, and where the possibility of facing an unfavorable result of the measures taken to control the epidemic is higher.
That is why WHO calls on health leaders to ensure that communities are involved in decision-making, to monitor inequalities in healthcare sector and to ensure that all people have access to affordable high-quality healthcare, in accordance with the needs and values of their communities.
