The Tribune

The World Health Organisation (WHO) celebrates 75 years of improving public health tomorrow - which is World Health Day.

The World Health Day theme this year is "Health for All", which underscores that the right to health is a basic human right. Everyone should have access to the health services they need when and where they need them without financial hardship. According to WHO and PAHO (the Pan-American Health Organisation), Health for All envisions that all people have good health for a fulfilling life in a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable world.

“Health for all means that everyone, everywhere can access high quality health services when they need it without falling into financial hardship,” said Dr Eldonna Boisson, the PAHO/WHO representative for The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands.

PAHO/WHO promotes Universal Health (Universal access to health and universal health coverage), which implies that all people and communities have access, without any kind of discrimination, to comprehensive, appropriate, and timely, quality health services determined according to needs. Also, that all people and communities have access to safe, effective, and affordable quality medicines, while ensuring that the use of such services does not expose users to financial difficulties, especially the most vulnerable groups. This promotes the well-being of families and communities, protects against public health crises, and moves us toward Health for All.

Dr Boisson called on people to consider these issues on this World Health Day, saying: “Join us on a journey to achieve Health for All and to motivate action to tackle the health challenges of today and tomorrow.”

A nation's success, WHO says, must be measured by the well-being of people and healthy environments. Health for All seeks to engage and empower individuals, families and communities for increased social participation and enhanced self-care in health. It also works to ensure informed and active participation, with people at the center of health decisions and outcomes.