The birth of the World Health Organization

On 7 April 1948, the World Health Organization (WHO) was founded. The authority agency for public health within the United Nations, it has been integral to international well-being since its inception.

The WHO has had a number of achievements in its lifespan with the most prominent being the eradication of smallpox in 1977. The global vaccination ended one of Earth’s most feared diseases.

Every year, the day focuses on one particular sector. In 2014, it is vector-borne diseases. These are illnesses that are spread by blood-sucking insects, arachnids and crustaceans. Over one million lives are lost from these diseases every year and by far and the worst offender is malaria.

On 7 April, the WHO aim to raise awareness of the diseases and their dangers. Areas where the diseases are high will be targeted. Families and communities in these areas will be educated on what to do and measures will be put in place to protect and improve public health. These will include the use of pest control insecticides and introducing natural insect predators. These predators include frogs, birds and large insects and as many swill be used as long as it does not disrupt the ecosystem or habitat. Both work in entirely different ways but the combination is dedicated to ceasing the spread of these diseases. With no vaccine currently available, measures such as these will go a long way in preventing this pandemic by saving lives and helping vast swathes of people get out of poverty.