The main objective of World Mental Health Day is to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and to mobilise efforts in support of mental health.

The Day provides an opportunity for all stakeholders working on mental health issues to talk about their work, and what more needs to be done to make mental health care a reality for people worldwide.

“It is important that stakeholders address the mental health needs of their client groups. Governments should provide adequate funding for mental health services but sadly these services are often underfunded.”

“Some interventions are relatively straight forward to implement. For example, research has found that easy to learn relaxation techniques can be effective in reducing stress and anxiety and can even help to lower heart rate and blood pressure. Relaxation training is a low cost intervention to deliver whether in a clinic, hospital, workplace, school, university, or online. Let’s do it” said Professor Stephen Palmer PhD, Director of the National Academy of Relaxation, a faculty of the National Wellbeing Service Ltd.

Get involved. Follow or use the social media hashtags: #WorldMentalHealthDay #WMHD #WMHD2023

Links:

World Federation of Mental Health

National Academy of Relaxation

National Wellbeing Service Ltd

World Hepatitis Day

We could not be more excited to celebrate our second birthday this World Hepatitis Day (WHD) on Saturday 28 July, 2018. It’s been another great year and as a movement is only a movement if people are behind it, we want to thank each one of you who have contributed to its success so far.

To mark WHD, we’ve been raising awareness of diagnosis rates around the world to help find the missing millions. To get involved and show your support include the #NOhep and #WorldHepatitisDay hashtags in your social media posts.

More information, visit our webpage.

World Health Day 2017 Focuses On Depression

World Health Day, celebrated on 7 April every year to mark the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organization, provides us with a unique opportunity to mobilize action around a specific health topic of concern to people all over the world. The National Wellbeing Service Ltd supports World Health Day by promoting it over our social media networks.

The theme of the 2017 World Health Day campaign is depression.

Canada takes a stand against Viral Hepatitis

OTTAWA, June 16, 2016 – The Honourable Jane Philpott, Canada’s minister for health, reaffirmed today Canada’s commitment to participate in the global fight against viral hepatitis.

Speaking at a breakfast on Parliament Hill organized by the Canadian Society for International Health (CSIH), Philpott said to the health professionals, government officials, civil society representatives and hepatitis survivors in attendance,  “We are committed to do the work to end hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. We are working closely with provinces and territories to address the ongoing burden of viral hepatitis.”

Canada, along with 193 other Member States, recently adopted the Global Strategy on Viral Hepatitis at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland. The goal – the elimination of hepatitis B and C by 2030 – signals the greatest ever global commitment on viral hepatitis.

The Parliamentary Breakfast also marked the launch of the World Hepatitis Day campaign in Canada.  WHD, celebrated annually on July 28, is dedicated to raising awareness about viral hepatitis and promoting prevention, and access to testing, treatment and care. Again this year, the Canadian campaign is spearheaded by CSIH and links some 65 organizations planning more than 100 events across the country. This year’s theme is: Know your status? Get tested. Know your options.

Eva Slawecki, Executive Director, CSIH said, “Hepatitis is not just somebody else’s problem. Thousands of Canadians may be affected by the virus and not know it yet. We urge everyone to get informed and get tested.”

Dr. Curtis Cooper, Director of The Ottawa Hospital Regional Viral Hepatitis Program, said, “The adoption of the Global Strategy is a milestone in the fight against viral hepatitis. It is now up to every country that signed on, including Canada, to do what it takes to eliminate these diseases.”

Facts:

• Viral hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver caused by one of five hepatitis viruses. Hepatitis B and C may lead to liver failure, cancer, disability and death.
• There are some 600,000 Canadians living with hepatitis, many of whom are unaware of their condition. Worldwide, more than 400 million people are infected, and 1.4 million die every year from the condition – more than HIV/AIDS or malaria.
• For more information on the Global Strategy on Viral Hepatitis: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2016/wha69-28-may-2016/en/

The Canadian Society for International Health (CSIH) brings the Canadian global health community together to better achieve a shared goal of improving health worldwide. www.csih.org