“Our Health Is Our Future: the 70th anniversary of the World Health Organization”, a thematic exhibition timed to the World Health Day and the 70th anniversary of the World Health Organization runs in the official documents department (room 207), from 4 April to 7 May.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is the United Nations’ specialized agency, directing and coordinating authority for health within the UN system. Members of WHO are 194 states. The headquarters of the organization is in Geneva.
The history of the World Health Organization dates back to April 7, 1948. On this day, its Constitution came into force. Annually, since 1950, this date is celebrated as the World Health Day.
The Constitution of WHO defines the achievement of the highest level of health by all peoples as the main goal of the organization’s activity; proclaims the responsibility of governments for the state of health of the population in their countries, and advocates for joint fight against dangerous epidemics that threaten all the inhabitants of our planet.
WHO assists health promotion, disease prevention and disease control so that all people have equal access to effective health services. The organization seeks to ensure the safety of air, food, water, as well as medicines and vaccines needed for humans.
In 2018, WHO celebrates its 70th anniversary. The organization took this opportunity to celebrate the achievements of global public health over the past 70 years, showing the results of its work and drawing attention to complex challenges for the future.
The organization launched a large-scale and long-lasting Health for All Campaign in support of countries in their movement towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC). The theme of the World Health Day is: Universal Health Coverage: Everyone, Everywhere.
WHO urges world leaders to fulfill the commitments they have made in agreeing on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), taking concrete steps to improve people's health and doing everything possible to ensure that everyone has access to basic quality health services and does not suffer from financial difficulties at the same time.
Many countries have already made significant progress towards Universal Health Coverage. However, half of the world's population still cannot get the medical services they need. To fulfill the SDG pledges by 2023, it is necessary to provide UHC for another one billion people.
Belarus is one of the founding members of WHO. The country office of the organization was established in Minsk, April 1994, in order to assist the government in developing the health care system. Belarus participates in the key annual events of WHO such as the World Health Assembly and the sessions of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe. Priority tasks of our country's cooperation with WHO are: strengthening the health system, protecting the health of the mother and child, preventing and treating major non-communicable diseases; improving the capacity of the health system to monitor and control infectious diseases; control of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.
More than 100 documents are on display: books, brochures and periodicals in the Russian, French and English languages.
The exposition includes the following thematic sections:
- International recommendations and standards in the field of public health.
- WHO: history, problems and prospects.
- Providing the Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
- Maternal and child health.
- Fighting infectious diseases and HIV/AIDS.
- A healthy lifestyle as the basis of a person's longevity.
- Health protection in the Republic of Belarus.
The exhibition will be useful to health and medical professionals, researchers, university teachers and students, as well as to all who are interested in health issues and a healthy lifestyle.
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