World Health Day is celebrated this Sunday, 7 April, to mark the anniversary of the founding of WHO in 1948. HIQA is committed to encouraging and supporting health and social care services to promote better health and well being for the Irish population.

Each year a theme is selected for World Health Day that highlights a priority area of public health concern in the world. The Authority supports the theme for 2013 which is high blood pressure. High blood pressure is both preventable and treatable and the ultimate goal of World Health Day 2013 is to reduce heart attacks and strokes.

“Global patient safety and public health initiatives are important in raising awareness of potential health risks to people worldwide and in promoting a patient safety culture across our health and social care services,” said Marie Kehoe O’Sullivan, Director of Safety and Quality Improvement at HIQA.

To find out more about WHO World Health Day go to: http://www.who.int/campaigns/world-health-day/2013/en/index.html The Authority continues to work with WHO on international patient safety initiatives.