By Bunmi Yekini
World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday called on governments, scientists and the public to renew their commitment to collaboration and scientific evidence as key drivers of better health, launching a year-long campaign to mark World Health Day 2026 under the theme “Together for health. Stand with science.”
The appeal coincides with the anniversary of WHO’s founding on April 7, 1948, and comes amid growing global health challenges ranging from climate-related risks to emerging infectious diseases.
“Science is one of humanity’s most powerful tools for protecting and improving health,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement, noting that advances such as vaccines, penicillin and modern diagnostics have significantly extended life expectancy worldwide.
WHO said scientific progress and international cooperation have driven major gains in global health over recent decades. Since 2000, maternal mortality has fallen by more than 40%, while deaths among children under five have dropped by over half. Widespread immunization campaigns alone have saved more than 150 million children over the past 50 years, the agency added.
Technological advances, including early screening tools and improved surgical techniques, have also transformed once life-threatening conditions such as cancer, high blood pressure and HIV into more manageable diseases, improving survival and quality of life.
However, WHO warned that health threats are evolving and intensifying. Climate change, environmental degradation, geopolitical tensions and demographic shifts are placing increasing strain on health systems and contributing to both persistent and emerging diseases with epidemic or pandemic potential.
The agency highlighted the importance of global scientific collaboration in tackling such threats, citing its coordination role during the 2003 outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), when international laboratories identified the virus within weeks. It also pointed to infection-prevention measures, such as alcohol-based hand rubs, that helped protect patients and health workers, including during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As part of this year’s campaign, WHO and partners are convening global events to strengthen cooperation. A One Health Summit in Lyon, France, hosted with the G7 Presidency, will bring together heads of state, scientists and community leaders, while a separate forum will gather representatives from more than 800 research institutions worldwide.
“Science transforms uncertainty into understanding and reveals the pathways to protect and heal our communities,” said Sylvie Briand, WHO’s Chief Scientist, warning that abandoning evidence-based approaches risks harmful outcomes.
WHO said it would continue to promote science-driven policies across areas including infectious diseases, chronic conditions, mental health and environmental health risks, urging countries to strengthen collaboration and ensure that evidence guides decision-making.
“Together, when countries stand with science, they build stronger and more equitable health systems,” the agency said.