World Health Day 2026 – "Together for health. Stand with science"

World Health Day is celebrated each year on 7 April to mark the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO) and to highlight a priority area of global public health concern.

The theme of World Health Day 2026 is “Together for health. Stand with science”. This year’s observance launches a year‑long campaign celebrating the power of scientific collaboration to protect the health of people, animals, plants, and the planet. The campaign spotlights both scientific achievements and the multilateral cooperation needed to turn evidence into action – through a strong focus on the One Health approach.

One Health is an integrated, unifying approach that recognises the close, interdependent links between human, animal and environmental health. Changes in these relationships can increase the risk of new human and animal diseases developing and spreading. One Health aims to sustainably balance and optimise the health of people, animals and ecosystems. It applies to a range of issues, including antimicrobial resistance (AMR), zoonotic diseases, vector-borne diseases, food safety and foodborne diseases, and environmental health.

Science plays a crucial role in protecting human health by advancements in disease prevention, detection and treatment through evidence-based research. Vaccination is an example of science-led solutions for protecting people against challenges posed by infectious diseases.

Anchoring the 2026 campaign are two major global moments: the International One Health Summit (7 April), and the inaugural Global Forum of WHO Collaborating Centres (7 to 9 April). Together, these events form the largest scientific network ever convened around a United Nations agency, underscoring how science-driven partnerships can build a healthier, safer future for all.

WHO collaborating centres are institutions such as research institutes, parts of universities or academies, which are designated by the Director-General to carry out activities in support of the Organization's programmes. Currently there are over 800 WHO collaborating centres in over 80 Member States working with WHO on various health aspects. In Hong Kong, there are three WHO collaborating centres under the Department of Health, supporting multiple WHO programmes.

	WHO Collaborating Centre for Smoking Cessation and Treatment of Tobacco Dependence Designated in 2012, our WHO Collaborating Centre has served as a regional hub for supporting training in smoking cessation treatment and services with regular provision of training for tobacco control workers in Hong Kong, Macao and the Chinese Mainland, as well as across the entire Western Pacific region.
	WHO Collaborating Centre for Traditional Medicine CMRO has been designated as the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Traditional Medicine since 2012, and it was re-designated for another four years in 2016, 2020 and 2024 respectively. The Collaborating Centre focuses on assisting the World Health Organization to formulate policies and strategies as well as setting regulatory standards for traditional medicine. In November 2024, the Collaborating Centre assisted the World Health Organization to organise a three-day meeting in Hong Kong, China to discuss the development of an International Herbal Pharmacopoeia.
	WHO Collaborating Centre on quality and capacity building for GISRS The Microbiology Division of PHLSB (MD) provides laboratory diagnostic services for disease surveillance and control, health promotion and disease prevention. MD has been designated by WHO as a National Influenza Centre of Hong Kong since 1963, and Influenza A (H5) Reference Laboratory since 2004. Having worked closely with the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS) of WHO for many years, MD has been designated as WHO Collaborating Centre on quality and capacity building for GISRS since January 2026.

Please visit the WHO website (https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-health-day/2026) for more information on World Health Day 2026.

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