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Dr Gérald Kierzek (Medical Director)
This April 7 marks the date of World Health Day, and the 75th anniversary of the creation of the World Health Organization. This year, the theme chosen is broad “health for all”. What does that mean ? Towards which model do we want to go? Answer with Dr Gérald Kierzek, medical director of Doctissimo.
This year’s theme for World Health Day, ‘Health for All’, is a bit broad, but it matches the journey the World Health Organization (WHO) has come since its inception 75 years ago. .
75 years at the service of health for all, in the world
In a page specially dedicated to the event, the WHO recalls its commitment to health for all, based on the democratic notion that all human beings are equal. A value clearly enshrined in the Organization’s founding Constitution in 1948. Since then, the WHO has continued to fight and carry out prevention campaigns to promote access to healthcare, everywhere in the world, with several objectives :
- Alleviate the burden of deadly diseases;
- Protect populations against pandemics;
- Combining health and peace in countries in conflict;
- Conduct policies and develop health standards;
- Prevent diseases through vaccination;
- And finally, take up health challenges linked to climate issues.
Prevention, a new challenge for the 21st century?
Are the struggles for access to health care enough? According to Dr Gérald Kierzek, medical director of Doctissimo; the absolute priority today is prevention, for everyone.
“This is one of the lessons that we should have learned several years ago, but which has been forgotten and the Covid pandemic also testifies to it. Prevention and healthy longevity are truly the issues of the 21st century. In terms of public health, we are unfortunately still in the curative (how to treat), but not in “health” (how to stay healthy). However, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, etc. can be avoided thanks to individual behavior which reduces smoking, alcohol consumption, which is based on a balanced diet, physical activity… In my opinion, governments have not taken the measure of this, despite plan announcements evoking prevention. What is needed is a massive plan, over several generations, involving National Education, coaches in supermarkets to help families, etc. Political priorities that sometimes go against the interests of lobbies, but that’s what public health should be.”
Health and prevention: better sharing of information
Dr. Kierzek also emphasizes the importance of health information, which contributes to this health for all. How to approach health today? How to transmit information if only on prevention?
“We must above all be careful not to impose a hygienist model in the name of health ethics. When it comes to health, you shouldn’t be dogmatic, but try to stick to people’s culture. Talking about health with dogmatism reinforces dogmatism, scientism reinforces conspiracy. We tend to want to create labels, to want to censor information… It is better to be in pedagogy and not to censor, because censorship leads to counterproductive violent behavior. Health must be played out as close as possible to people.”