World Health Day 2026: Together for Health. Stand with Science.

This year’s World Health Day, 7 April 2026, kick-starts a year-long campaign to celebrate the power of scientific collaboration to advance health, save lives and transform societies.

WHO and its partners work around the clock to generate scientific knowledge on key health priorities, including health security, climate and health, primary health care, the health workforce, vaccines and medicines, chronic conditions and mental health; sharing evidence and strengthening countries’ research capacities and systems for more equitable access to health care.

A powerful example of this cooperation is WHO’s network of 800 collaborating centres. This network of top institutions – national research institutes, university departments, laboratories, hospitals, health ministries and academies – use their expertise to support WHO’s programmes and activities. A third of these collaborating centres are in the WHO European Region.

Anchoring the 2026 World Health Day campaign are 2 major global moments: the international One Health Summit (5–7 April), hosted by the Government of France under the French G7 Presidency; and the inaugural Global Forum of WHO Collaborating Centres (7–9 April), gathering scientific institutions from over 80 countries.

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.