World Health Day is celebrated to mark the founding day of World Health Organisation (WHO). The WHO is an agency of the United Nations which focuses on public health at large. Many countries of the world including India are its members and have unanimously agreed to promote the general health of the globe. It is through the efforts of WHO, that small pox got eradicated and later it directed its efforts to reduce the incidents of communicable diseases, particularly tuberculosis and AIDS.

With its inception in 1950, the World Health Day has a theme every year to draw the attention of the world to a current health issue. Some such themes for the last decade include invest in health for safe future, protecting health from adverse effects of climate change, making hospitals safe in emergencies, anti-microbial resistance, ageing and health, healthy blood pressure, threat from common vectors like mosquitoes and flies, food safety and last year, it was diabetes.

The WHO puts together regional, local and international events to spread awareness about that theme. This year's theme is 'Depression, Lets Talk'. It aims to remove the stigma associated with mental illness, to encourage people to come forward and talk about their condition, so that their suffering is alleviated.

The number of people being affected by depression is on the rise. Such people do not express themselves and usually suffer alone leading to suicidal tendencies. On this day, let us work towards removing all stigma and taboo associated with depression. Let us promise to support and encourage such people who are withdrawn or aloof to speak up so that we can help them in every possible way. May people be aware that medication and medical help is available to help battle this condition and overcome it.

As you see, celebrating World Health day is important. On this day, free medical check ups, blood donation drives are organized. Spreading the news of caring for health, threats to our health and precautions for the same can be an excellent way of celebrating this day.

We on our part can take simple steps at home to take care of our health. Having a balanced meal at proper intervals, daily exercise, maintaining proper hygiene are small efforts that will go a long way in keeping us in the pink of health. So stay healthy and be happy. After all, there is no bigger wealth than our health!