World Health Day 2024: My health, my right

Across the WHO European Region and around the world, the right to health of millions is increasingly under threat.

Diseases and disasters loom large as causes of death and disability.

Conflicts are devastating lives, causing death, pain, hunger and psychological distress.

The burning of fossil fuels is simultaneously driving the climate crisis and taking away our right to breathe clean air, with indoor and outdoor air pollution claiming a life every 5 seconds.

The WHO Council on the Economics of Health for All has found that at least 140 countries recognize health as a human right in their constitutions. Yet far too many are not passing and putting into practice laws to ensure their populations are entitled to access health services. This underpins the fact that at least 4.5 billion people – more than half of the world’s population – were not fully covered by essential health services in 2021.

To address these challenges, the theme for World Health Day 2024 is “My health, my right”.

This year’s theme was chosen to champion the right of everyone, everywhere to have access to quality health services, education, and information, along with safe drinking water, clean air, good nutrition, quality housing, decent working and environmental conditions, and – not least – freedom from discrimination.

WHO/Europe works to support its 53 Member States to address gaps and challenges, strengthen health systems and build upon successes – translating WHO’s vision of Health for All into concrete action for the almost 1 billion people in the Region.