World Health Day is celebrated annually on the 7th of April. This marks the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organization in 1948. Each year, the day has a theme, drawing attention to a global health issue.

The World Health Organization is a United Nations Agency that works to improve health around the world. Recently it has been at the forefront of the effort to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. This global agency also played a large part in the eradication of the smallpox virus around the world and coordinates global efforts against diseases like malaria and diabetes.

Learn more about the work of the World Health Organization in this short video.

Teaching Ideas and Resources

• Our Healthy Living Pack has lots of resources to help children make healthy choices.

• Use the information on this page to research the history of vaccine development.
• Design an exercise routine to keep you fit and healthy.
• Make a list of medical professionals that you know about, or have helped you.