We celebrate World Health Day every April 7th to promote health and honour the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO). The day was established at the inaugural World Health Assembly in 1948 and brings worldwide attention to global health each year. Since then, it has become a day to motivate action and tackle the health challenges of today and tomorrow.

The Global Health Crisis
Over the years, the WHO has addressed numerous health-related issues, ranging from food safety to mental health. However, there has been a strong focus on the climate crisis affecting human health in recent years. In addition to all of the direct effects of climate change on the environment, it also extends even further, causing a plethora of adverse effects on our health. Breathing fossil fuels, extreme weather events, water scarcity and more all have a grave impact on human health and are a direct result of the climate crisis. WHO estimates that more than 13 million deaths around the world each year are due to avoidable environmental causes. This means that the climate crisis is also a health crisis.

FINCA’s Efforts in Tackling Global Health Challenges
FINCA invests in social enterprises worldwide that directly address health and healthcare. Penda Health is just one example of a FINCA partner working directly to improve individual health in Kenya. As a primary healthcare provider, Penda offers affordable outpatient services within low-income, densely populated urban communities. They are making healthcare accessible to those who otherwise would not have Access.

In addition to directly addressing health and healthcare, FINCA also partners with social enterprises that indirectly impact human health. For example, FINCA partners with companies like Amped Innovation and BioLite, which produce solar and clean energy products for off-grid households worldwide. Transitioning to clean energy can improve household air quality, preventing the estimated 3.2 million deaths yearly due to household air pollution. Similarly, FINCA partners with enterprises like Sanivation and Jibu that focus on expanding access to clean water and sanitation services. With nearly 1 million preventable deaths every year due to drinking water and sanitation, the issue of water accessibility is also very strongly related to health. These examples are just the beginning of the discussion of how FINCA’s work directly and indirectly affects health.

The Importance of World Health Day
World Health Day is crucial in bringing important health-related issues to the forefront of global dialogue. Over the years, the dedicated day has spotlighted pressing problems like mental health, maternal and child care, climate change, and so much more.

FINCA continues to work towards supporting individuals and enterprises that both directly and indirectly address the global health crisis. We will only begin to move the needle in effectively addressing each of them by recognizing the interconnectedness of health with other major international issues.