Doha: Qatar has witnessed a steady decline in infant mortality rates and a rise in life expectancy, making it the highest-ranked country in the region. This coincides with Qatar's high ranking in the Universal Health Coverage Index, a global indicator that assesses how well countries provide access to quality healthcare, promote the well-being of families and communities, and protect against public health crises. Qatar has also supported many countries in the region and the world through its philanthropic work to promote health for all globally.
According to Qatar News Agency, World Health Day is a global awareness campaign calling on all nations, leaders, and officials to focus on a single global health challenge. World Health Day in 2026 is held under the theme, 'Together for Science,' celebrating the power of scientific collaboration to protect the health of people, animals, plants, and the planet. To mark the occasion, the year-long campaign will highlight the scientific achievements and multilateral cooperation needed to translate evidence into action - with a strong focus on the One Health approach.
The 2026 campaign is based on two major global events: the One Health Summit on April 7, hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the government of France, and the First Global Forum of WHO Collaborating Centres from April 7-9, which will see the participation of some 800 scientific institutions from more than 80 countries.
These two events form the largest scientific network ever assembled around a UN agency, underscoring that science-led partnerships can build a healthier and safer future for all. The campaign calls on individuals everywhere to participate by celebrating scientific achievements, paying attention to evidence, and sharing personal stories about how science can improve quality of life. It also calls on governments, scientists, health workers, partners, and the public to support science by paying attention to evidence, facts, and scientific guidance to protect health, rebuild trust in science and public health, support science-based solutions for a healthier future, and chart a new course to protect the health of the planet.
Over the past century, human health has improved thanks to scientific innovations, and the future will certainly be built on how to develop and apply comprehensive scientific approaches to the health of all - not just humans, but also animals, plants, ecosystems, and the entire planet - through the One Health approach. The WHO and its partners work around the clock to generate scientific knowledge on key health priorities, from healthy diets to water, sanitation, vaccines, medicines, infectious diseases, chronic diseases, and mental health, sharing evidence, and strengthening countries' research capacities and systems to achieve more equitable access to healthcare.