By Alana Mauger

World Health Day, commemorated annually on April 7, is a World Health Organization (WHO) initiative designed to raise awareness about the overall health and well-being of people across the world.

As we continue to cope with the impact of the pandemic, a polluted planet and increasing diseases like cancer, asthma and heart disease, this year’s theme – Our Planet, Our Health – focuses on the urgent actions needed to keep humans and the planet healthy.

According to WHO, more than 13 million deaths around the world each year are due to avoidable environmental causes, making the climate crisis the single biggest health threat facing humanity. For example:

• Air pollution kills 13 people every minute due to lung cancer, heart disease and strokes.
• Nine out of 10 people breathe polluted air as a result of burning fossil fuels like oil, coal and natural gas.
• 2 billion people lack safe drinking-water globally.
• 3.6 billion people lack safe toilets globally
• 829,000 people die from diarrhoeal disease every year caused by polluted water and poor sanitation.
• Tobacco kills more than 8 million people every year and is highly addictive. Furthermore, 600 million trees are chopped down to make 6 trillion cigarettes every year, decreasing the clean air we breathe.
• Rising temperatures and floods caused by climate change will place an additional 2 billion people at risk of dengue infection.

In the U.S., World Health Day is commemorated during National Public Health Week (April 4-10), sponsored by the American Public Health Association. This year’s overall theme – Public Health is Where You Are – is broken down into daily themes that address public health issues like racism, accessibility, climate change and mental wellness.

The American Red Cross offers a data repository of demographic, humanitarian crisis and safety, and other health data as part of its Public Health and Safety Initiative. Currently, the repository focuses on factors that affect hemoglobin and platelet concentration, as well as aspects of blood safety.  Click on the links above or visit RedCrossBlood.org to learn more.