7th of April is World Health Day and Health Worker's Day in Bulgaria.  The World Health Organization (WHO) was established on this day in 1948 in Geneva. Bulgaria has been a member of the WHO since its foundation and is actively involved in programmes to improve health services in the country, to reduce acute infectious diseases, to protect the environment, to fight AIDS and cancer and to prevent deaths due to smoking.

Each year, the motto of the celebration is different and focuses on a priority theme that WHO is committed to. The theme for 2025 is "Ageing and health: good health adds life to the years".

According to the WHO, more than half of the world's population is at risk from diseases such as malaria, dengue, leishmaniasis, Lyme disease, schistosomiasis and yellow fever transmitted by mosquitoes, flies, ticks, water snails and other vectors (carriers of infection). Each year, more than 1 billion people are infected and more than 1 million die from transmissible infections.

World Health Day aims to draw public attention to the serious and growing threat of these diseases, with the focus of activities in the WHO European Region on people on the move as a result of travel, business and trade.

 Regardless of the purpose of being in areas with diseases spread by mosquitoes, ticks or other vectors, everyone should take the necessary steps to protect themselves.

In addition to limiting the spread of disease vectors through sanitary and hygienic measures, part of prevention is increasing health knowledge among the population. | BGNES