World Health Day 2024: My health, my right.
On the 7th of April 2024, we celebrated World Health Day, a day the World Health Organisation (WHO) commemorates every year, to highlight global health issues.
‘’My health, my right’’ is this year’s theme and encourages everyone to know their health rights, which include:
- access to safe and quality care, without any discrimination.
- privacy and confidentiality of your health information.
- information about your treatment and to informed consent.
- bodily autonomy and integrity, meaning you have the right to make decisions affecting your own body.
World Health Day also highlights the importance of managing environmental and social issues which affect health, such as education, access to safe drinking water, clean air, good nutrition, quality housing, decent working and environmental conditions, and freedom from discrimination.
Even though 140 of the 195 countries in the world recognise quality health care as a human right in their constitutions, at least 4.5 billion people have limited health care services. The WHO says: “Around the world, the right to health of millions is increasingly coming under threat. Diseases and disasters loom large as causes of death and disability.’’
The WHO is calling on citizens and governments alike to champion health as a priority. Click here to see actions that you can take as an individual to promote health equity.
Organ and tissue transplant is an especially important part of healthcare in South Africa and relies on the kindness and generosity of EVERYDAY HEROES such as yourself.
Did you know you that your decision to become and organ and tissue donor, will give some of the thousands of patients in South Africa waiting for transplants, the opportunity to receive life-saving and life-enhancing care? A single organ donor can help 7 people and one tissue donor can impact the lives of 65 or more people. Unfortunately, in South Africa, the number of people requiring a transplant is increasing daily, while the number of registered donors remains low.
Becoming a registered donor is a simple and easy process
- Become informed:
Before you make the decision, learn about organ and tissue donation. You can do online research or speak to one of Vitanova’s donor coordinators on +27 87 068 8000.
Online resources include:
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- The Organ Donor Foundation: www.odf.org.za
- Vitanova: www.vitanova.org.za
Other useful sites include:
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- Information about blood donation and blood services: www.sanbs.org.za, www.wcbs.org.za
- Information about bone marrow donation: www.sabmr.org.za
- Information about organ transplantation: www.tell.org.za
2. Register as a donor:
Once you are sure that you understand organ and tissue donation, please register as a donor by completing the quick registration form.
Once you submit the form, a representative from the ODF will call you to complete the registration process and will answer any questions you may have.
3. Speak up:
It is important to speak to your family about your wishes and your decision to be a donor, as they will have to give permission for the donation process to proceed, once you pass away.
Registering as an organ and tissue donor is a deeply personal choice, and if you are not ready to make the choice, you can still make an enormous difference by sharing what you learned about organ and tissue donation. Raising awareness can lead others committing to register as donors.
HELP US SHARE THE MESSAGE
Please use the power of your social media connections to help us raise awareness.
Like and follow our Facebook and Instagram pages, and hit the share button to share our content and any posts related to organ and tissue donation. And remember, the smallest act of kindness can result in a life-changing gift to someone.