Being healthy at birth is crucial to a healthy life. Yet, the World Health Organization (WHO) states that during the first 28 days of life, a child is at highest risk of dying. Moreover, this risk is more than six times higher in Africa than it is in Europe.

The World Health Organization (WHO) celebrates World Immunization Week with the theme, “Protected Together, Vaccines Work,” to encourage people to make efforts to increase immunization coverage for the greater good.

WiRED International’s board and volunteers are deeply saddened by the death of Faye F. Cohen on April 10, 2018. A local and national political activist and community organizer, Mrs. Cohen was married to WiRED board member Sheldon S. Cohen, Esq., for 67 years. All their lives, the Cohens have responded without hesitation to those in want by simply asking, “What do you need?”

We at WiRED International observe Earth Day this year with heightened concern. As WiRED’s health education work focuses increasingly on the One Health perspective — the interaction among human, animal and environmental health — we become ever more watchful of policies that impact air, land and water, because they, in turn, affect human health.

Cancer can strike anyone, but today 70% of cancer deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries without adequate medical and economic resources. So far the global health community does not offer a focused action plan to combat cancer as it does for infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS.

Overuse and misuse of antibiotics lead to antibiotic resistance (AR). WiRED International cautions that without urgent attention and action, many modern medicines could become obsolete, turning even common infections into deadly threats.

WiRED International observes the 70th anniversary of World Health Day on April 7, the day on which the World Health Organization urges everyone to learn about and support accessible universal health care.

Opening up access to its materials for millions more people, WiRED International just took a major technological leap forward. Its innovative Health Module Access Program (HealthMAP) can now deliver free health education training material to underserved communities in the world’s most distant locations, many of which exist offline.

The media are awash with pointers about how to live a healthy life: eat well, exercise, don’t smoke, watch how much alcohol you drink. A recitation of heath tips becomes a mantra that we know so well . . . and tend to ignore. But if these pointers help you feel better, look better and avoid some diseases, maybe it’s worth giving a few of them a try.

Mark your calendars for two important health observances this week. Thursday, March 22, is World Water Day, and Saturday, March 24, is World TB (tuberculosis) Day.