Different health related days in a calendar year observing worldwide

There are many world days observed throughout the year related to specific health issues or conditions. Thus observing the different health related days maintaining a high-profile focus on universal health coverage via a series of events with global and local conversations about ways to achieve ‘Health for All’ is emphasized. The idea of observing such health related days for awareness is to spread knowledge on health issues and empower people in the decision making on health diagnosis and medical treatments. The observations seem to be reinforcing that it is a good step, and it might be even sufficient to address the health issue. Specific health related day may just be one day, but it is a day that needs to remind the importance of health as something that needs to be a part of everyday life. This article gives a brief description of different health related days in a calendar year observing worldwide.


Background
There are m any 'health related days' to prom ote im portant public health issues, m any of w hich are supported by the W orld H ealth O rganization (W H O ) and partners. 1G lobal public health days o ffer grea t p oten tial to ra ise aw a ren es s a nd understanding about health issues and m obilize support for action, from the local com m unity to the international stage. 1 There are m any w orld days observed throughout the year related to specific health issues or conditions.'H ealth for All' has therefore been our guiding vision for decades.It is also the im petus behind the current organization-w ide drive to support cou ntries in m oving tow ards un ive rsa l he alth coverage (U H C ).The W H O is calling on w orld leaders to live up to the pledges they m ade w hen they agreed to the Sustainable Development Goals, and commit to concrete steps to ad van ce th e he alth o f all p eo ple.T h is m ea ns e n s u rin g th a t eve ryo n e, eve r y w h e re c a n acce ss esse ntia l q ua lity h ea lth service s w ithou t fa cin g fin an cia l ha rd ship.E xpe rien ce h as illu s tra te d , tim e a n d a g a in , th a t U H C is ach ieved w h en p olitical w ill is stro ng .A cce ss to esse ntia l q ua lity care a nd fin ancia l p ro tectio n n o t o n ly e n h a n ce s p e o p le 's h e a lth a n d life exp e cta n cy, it a ls o p ro te c ts co u n trie s fro m e p id e m ics, re d u ce s p o ve r ty a n d th e risk o f h u n g e r, c re a te s jo b s a n d d rive s e c o n o m ic g row th .T h u s o b se r v in g th e d iffe re n t h e a lth re la te d d ays (Ta b le 1 ) m a in ta in in g a h ig hpro file fo cus o n U H C via a serie s of eve nts w ith glob al a nd loca l conversatio ns ab out w ays to ach ieve h ea lth fo r all is em p hasized.

World Cancer Day
World Cancer Day is marked on 4 th February every year to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection and treatment since 2001. 2 It was established by the Paris Charter adopted at the World Summit Against Cancer for the New Millen-nium held in Paris on 4 th February 2000.This Charter aimed at the promotion of the research for curing as well as preventing the disease, upgrading the provided services to the patients, the sensitization of the common opinion and the mobilization of the global community against cancer.The primary goal of the occation is to significantly reduce illness and death caused by cancer by 2020.

World Kidney Day
It is a global awareness campaign aimed at raising awareness of the importance of our kidneys. 3It is celebrated every 8 th March by organizing many events and campaigns in all parts of the world by community and concerned bodies, with the aim of raising awareness for everyone, the awareness about preventive behaviors, risk factors and about how to live with the kidney disease being treated for reducing complication, deaths and disability.

World Down Syndrome Day
In December 2011, the United Nations General Assembly declared 21 st March as the World Down Syndrome Day, with effect from Mediscope 2018;5(1):1-4 2 2012, and invited all member states, relevant organizations of the United Nations and other international organizations, as well as civil society, including non-governmental organizations and the private sector, to observe the day in an appropriate manner, in order to raise public awareness of Down syndrome. 4

World TB Day
This annual event is marked on 24 th March of every year to commemorate Dr. Robert Koch's discovery in 1882 for tubercle bacillus causing tuberculosis. 1It was the first step towards diagnosing the disease and its treatment.Despite significant progress over the last decades, TB continues to be the top infectious killer worldwide.

World Autism Awareness Day
World Autism Awareness Day is observed around the world on 2 nd April every year since 2007 for recognition of people living with autism. 5Autism-friendly events and educational activities take place to increase understanding and acceptance and foster worldwide support.

World Malaria Day
It is an occasion to highlight the need for continued investment and sustained political commitment for malaria prevention and control. 1 The world celebrates the World Malaria Day on 25 th April of each year.With the required resources, and all partners united, we can transform our common vision "End malaria for good" into a shared reality.

World Asthma Day
World Asthma Day is an annual event organized by the Global Institute for Asthma to improve asthma awareness and care around the world. 6It is observed on the 1 st Tuesday of May since 1998.

World Hypertension Day
World Hypertension Day is held on 17 th May every year. 7Hypertension is considered one of the main factors leading to the cardiovascular disease accounting for the early death cases worldwide by enhancing health awareness of the community members, preventing from developing hypertension.

World Thyroid Day
The European Thyroid Association & American Thyroid Association established World Thyroid Day on 25 th May 2008. 8hyroid disease occurs widely in the world.It afflicts millions of people, affecting their daily life, increasing morbidity and reducing productivity.

World Digestive Health Day
Every 29 th May, World Gastroenterology Organization celebrates World Digestive Health Day. 9 Each year it focuses upon a particular digestive disorder in order to increase general public awareness of prevention and therapy.

World No-Tobacco Day
It is observed around the world every year on 31 st May. 1 It is intended to encourage a 24 hour period of abstinence from all forms of tobacco consumption around the globe.The member states of the WHO created World No-Tobacco Day in 1987.

World Blood Donor Day
Every year on 14 th June countries around the world celebrate World Blood Donor Day. 1 The event established in 2004, serves to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank blood donors for their voluntary life-saving gifts of blood.

World Hepatitis Day
World Hepatitis Day is observed on 28 th July every year aiming to raise global awareness on hepatitis encouraging prevention, early diagnosis and treatment. 1Hepatitis affects people worldwide, causing acute and chronic diseases and killing close to 1.4 million people every year. 1 Anti-Hepatitis B vaccination has been added in Expanded Program on Immunization many countries of the world including Bangladesh.

World Heart Day
World Heart Day is marked on 29 th September. 1,10It is a part of an international campaign to spread awareness about heart diseases and stroke prevention.This is the perfect day to quit smoking, get exercising and start eating healthy to keep heart healthy.
It is needed to focus on creating heart healthy environment and to ensure that people are able to make hearts healthy choices.

Discussion
By observing health related days for awareness, the idea is to spread knowledge on health issues and empower people in the decision making on health diagnosis and medical treatments.The mass-media can play a pivotal role in bringing forward such health issues to the mass population.The WHO does extensive studies across the globe to bring forward knowledge and preventive techniques from health problems.
The observations seem to be reinforcing that it is a good step, and it might be even sufficient to address the health issue that really flies in the face of the complexity of the various forces (environmental, societal, and economic factors) that influence a person's health and a population's health. 14Specific health related day may just be one day, but it is a day that needs to remind the importance of health as something that needs to be a part of everyday life.

Table 1 . Health related days in a calendar year observing worldwide Day Date Since
On the 7 th April in 1948, the WHO held the world's first health assembly.The assembly decided to celebrate 7 th April of each year which is effective from 1950 as the World Health Day.1The world health day is held to mark WHO's founding and to draw worldwide attention to a subject of major importance to global health each year.
Intern ation al D iab ete s Fed eratio n & th e W H O . 1,12T h e d ay m arks the b irthd ay o f Fred erick B a itin g w h o a lo ng w ith C ha rles B est first con ceive d th e id ea w hich le d to th e discovery of in sulin in 1 99 2.