World Health Day is being celebrated this year with the theme “My Health-My Rights”.

For the progress of the nation, it is very important for everyone to be completely healthy and happy, because a prosperous nation can be imagined only with healthy citizens. This is the reason why World Health Day is celebrated every year on the foundation day of the World Health Organization i.e. 7th April to create awareness about adopting healthy health behaviour. Its basic objective is to make people aware of better health along with providing necessary advice for healthy living. This time the theme of World Health Day, which is celebrated on a different theme every year, is – “My Health, My Rights”. This year the focus has been on ensuring that everyone, everywhere, has the opportunity to live a healthy life.

Along with being physically healthy, it is very important for all of us to be mentally healthy as well. For this, it is also necessary that along with proper nutrition, meditation, yoga and pranayam should also be included in life. Today, the result of breaking away from physical labor is that various types of diseases are taking over the human body. Doctors also advise that if you want to avoid non-communicable diseases, then do hard work and physical exertion for at least 45 minutes every day. With this, you can stay safe from rapidly spreading heart disease and diabetes. Apart from this, it is better for everyone to stay away from beedis, cigarettes and other tobacco products and alcohol because many serious diseases including cancer are caused by these. In view of the increasing outbreak of non-communicable diseases, Ayushman Bharat Arogya Mandir (Health and Wellness Center) has been established close to home. Community Health Officers (CHOs) have been deployed at these centers for screening, testing and counseling of these diseases. Therefore, whenever you feel uncomfortable, instead of going to untrained doctors, do not hesitate to take the help of CHO, who will prove to be your true helper.

Today’s fast-paced life and changing lifestyle, not only in our own country but also in foreign countries, has influenced the young generation the most. The desire to achieve everything in life as quickly as possible has taken away the peace of the youth and they neither have time to eat food at the right time nor to sleep. This is the reason why among the youth who resort to fast food and alcohol and cigarettes to show off, serious non-communicable diseases like heart disease, diabetes, cancer and hypertension have started taking over the body at the age of 30.

For a healthy life, it is important to eat a balanced diet and include fruits and green vegetables in it. Exercise regularly to keep the body fit. Apart from this, stay away from stress and if you ever feel any problem then definitely share it with your family members. Get at least six to seven hours of sleep and rest every day. Also keep in mind that increasing body weight (obesity) also causes many diseases, so keep your weight under control. Be sure to use minimum salt and sugar while eating. Apart from this, avoid consuming oily foods.

Along with climate change, increasing environmental pollution is also creating many problems for health. According to the data of the World Health Organization, every year more than one crore people in the world lose their lives due to environmental reasons, whereas these are the reasons which can be avoided by exercising caution. Keeping this in mind, the United Nations General Assembly has also passed a resolution, according to which a clean, healthy and pure environment should be the universal right of every human being. On Earth we need clean air, water and food for good health. Statistics show that more than 90 percent of people breathe contaminated air. Air pollution alone kills millions of people every year around the world. If we all do not become conscious about all this, then the times to come may prove to be more painful.

Today on the occasion of World Health Day, let us pledge-

“Let us adopt healthy health behaviour, my health is my right”

Mukesh Kumar Sharma

(The author is Executive Director, Population Services International India)