Media Advisory N°6: World Health Day 2003

HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTS FOR CHILDREN

WHAT:

The World Health Organization (WHO) celebrates World Health Day every year on 7 April.

The theme for World Health Day 2003, “Healthy Environments for Children”, highlights that each year more than 5 million children age 0-14 die from diseases and other conditions caused by the environments in which they live, learn and play. The gravity of the problem is not widely appreciated. In an effort to emphasize the disproportionate burden of environmentally-related diseases on children, WHO and its partners in the Healthy Environments for Children Alliance (HECA) are dedicated to mobilizing action in favour of the world’s children and protecting them from the preventable risks in their environments.

WHERE:

Hundreds of events around the world range from pledges of high-level political commitment to public awareness campaigns to combat environmental risks in communities. Please see: http://www.who.int/world-health-day/2003/activities/en/

WHO is spearheading two main events on 7 April, in Delhi, India and in Geneva, Switzerland:

Delhi: WHO Director-General Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland launches World Health Day.

Geneva: Representatives from WHO and other UN organizations will be joined by school children to discuss solutions to create healthy environments. Keynote address by Professor Dr HRH Princess Chulabhorn Mahidol of Thailand at 10:15 at WHO Headquarters.

PRESS:

Members of the media are welcome at both events. To accompany Dr Brundtland in Delhi and to attend the press conference, please contact Ms Harsaran Pandey, Public Information Officer, WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia, Delhi, tel +91 11 2 337 0804 or 11 2 337 0197, email pandeyh@whosea.org; To attend the event in Geneva, please contact the World Health Day Organizing Team, tel +41 22 791 1334, email whd2003@who.int.