World Health Organization 75th Anniversary

World Health Organization 75^th Anniversary – Walk the Talk

Introduction

The World Health Organization (WHO) is the United Nations agency that works worldwide to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve the vulnerable. As part of their production, they celebrated their 75^th anniversary on April 7, 2023. This was a year-long celebration on the theme “Health for All,’’ and the main aim of the celebration was to continue to protect people from diseases and destructions, including smallpox eradication, reducing the incidence of polio by 99%, in order to be able to save millions of lives through childhood immunization, declines in maternal mortality and improve on health and well-being for millions more.

In promoting health globally, the WHO collaborated with partners to organize the “Walk the Talk’’ event on September 29, 2023. As an advocacy event, it was focused on promoting physical activity among the population to reduce NCDs, to help strengthen WHO’s collaboration and partnerships, reinforce the power of science, solutions, and solidarity. Participants that came for the event, were about 126 in number. These include members like the media, the VALD-Ghana team, FDA, Pantang Hospital School of Nurses, WHO members, the Ghana Armed Forces, and Ghana Police Force, and many more.

During the event, the United Nations Resident Coordinator, Charles Abani in his welcome remarks, was very appreciative of the participants at the “walk the talk” event. He stressed that the event was a year-long one to celebrate the 75 years of existence of the WHO which was founded in 1948. The WHO he said, has walked alongside countries to tackle public health challenges through the use of scientific solutions, and solidarity. Meanwhile, its success has ranged from a number of things like; the settling of the Health for All aspirational goal in 1978, the small crops education in 1980, the first viral medication to control HIV infections in 1987, and the launch of the global polio education initiative in 1988 which led to 99% reduction in the incidence of polio as at 2022.

Following, he stated that, the WHO has been in the country for over 60 years and the entire UN system has supported people irrespective of race, sex, religion, political belief, economic or social status in attaining the highest standard of Health for All and other sustainable development goals. As part of the activities of the WHO, there was a similar walk that took place at the UN General Assembly in New York this month, where the WHO Directive General emphasized a quote, which was: “Talking alone is not enough, we need countries to walk the talk, we need real commitment supported by real investment and real action”. For that reason, the activity was not just about the WHO 75^th Anniversary, but about each person taking real action to promote a healthy lifestyle.

Moreover, he explained that being physically active throughout life will help manage and prevent Non-Communicable Diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and many types of cancer. As a result, the public should continue to keep fit, and ensure regular physical activity and healthy living among themselves. This will then serve as a real culture in Ghana as it happened in Cape Verde, he remarked.

Therefore, on behalf of the United Nations family and the diplomatic communities, he expressed gratitude to everyone for their immense support and said, this is a commendable effort that should be replicated everywhere in the regions including Ghana, in order to help Africa progress towards the target of achieving 15% relative reduction in the problems of physical inactivity in adults and adolescents by 2030.

The Principal Health Indicator Emmanuel Arko Larbi and the Senior Health Educator Reverend Emmanuel Danflo both from St. John Ambulance Ghana Demonstrated Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) technique. They explained that this technique is a rescue breathing (mouth-to-mouth) and chest compressions to temporarily pump enough blood to the brain until specialized treatment is available. In other words, it is done by pressing on the chest for about 30 seconds to give a rescue breath to an individual who is unconscious. Which during such activity on the chest compressions, an adult needs two palms, a child needs one of the palms, and babies need two fingers. So, in the health aspect, for instance, the cardio is referred to as; the heart, the pulmonary as; the lungs, and the resuscitation as; the revival of the person, their lungs, and their heart.

Apart from that, Professor Francis Kasolo, the WHO Council Representative gave his closing remarks as the UN is going to have another similar walk on the 24^th to 25^th October to celebrate the UN Day.

Henceforth, all members will be invited to help celebrate that ‘Day’. Consequently, members should also continue to embark on physical activity, because it is a key in keeping a person healthy. Let’s make this a Ghana Habit, he added.

GALLERY

Text Box: Ernestina Aubyn, the finance Administrator for VALD, warming up. Text Box: Dr. Olivia Boateng, the Director for Tobacco and Substances Abuse Directorate for FDA (white) and her colleague.