World Health Day 2026: key messages
In a world facing complex health threats, WHO calls on everyone to stand with science – by engaging with evidence, facts, and science-based guidance to protect health.
Science serves everyone, everywhere
WHO and its partners work around the clock to generate scientific knowledge on key health priorities from healthy diets to water, sanitation, vaccines and medicines, infections, chronic conditions and mental health; sharing evidence, strengthening countries’ research capacities and systems for more equitable access to health care.
Be part of this work, contributing with experiences from you and your community’s perspective, to ensure science-led public health benefits more people to guide future health policies.
Science powers health – One Health
Our health has improved substantially over the past 100 years – thanks to scientific innovations. The future will be shaped based on how we develop and practice science-led approaches for the health of all – not only humans, but also animals, plants, ecosystems and the entire planet – through the One Health approach. This World Health Day 2026, the G7 Presidency of France and WHO will host the International One Health Summit.
Bringing together Heads of State, global leaders, scientists and community representatives, the Summit will showcase how science and political commitment can drive a new way forward for safeguarding the health of the planet.
Stand with science – WHO and its collaborating centres in over 80 countries
Progress in public health is built on global solidarity and collaboration. WHO’s ability to connect science with real-life practice in communities and countries around the world is powered through its network of 800 collaborating centres. They are national institutions working in specialized fields such as radiation, influenza, nursing, bioethics, and occupational health, among many others.
We call on everyone to stand up and speak for science sharing their experiences of how facts, evidence and science-based interventions improve their health and the health of their loved ones.
WHO is convening a Global Forum of collaborating centres to highlight how its unique and powerful scientific network drives health impact that touches every person’s life.