World Health Day statement by President Michael D. Higgins
Published: Thu 7th Apr, 2016 | 07:30
Marking World Health Day 2016, President Michael D. Higgins highlighted the importance of global cooperation to strengthen health care for all:
“Each 7th of April, we are invited to mark World Health Day – reminding us that on this day, now 68 years ago, the nations of the world came together to found the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Through the WHO, the members of the United Nations work together to strengthen health systems and to coordinate their responses to a wide range of diseases and potential epidemics such as the Zika virus, Ebola and Avian Influenza.
With the adoption, last year in New York, of the ‘Sustainable Development Goals’, governments of the world have committed to increasing their cooperation, in order to achieve the Goal of ‘ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all, at all ages.’
World Health Day is an opportunity to highlight the importance of this Goal, and to encourage each other – people from all ages and backgrounds – to take action in the pursuit of good health and well-being.
In this context, it is encouraging that we have both a deepening public debate in Ireland about the future of our health system and a growing awareness of the importance of taking personal action on health, lifestyles and mental health.
Access to basic health is a human right. Let us, together, work for the realisation of this right for all people, everywhere.”