News Release Archive

In any given year, St. Louis health care workers might encounter more than 70 foreign languages and up to 100 different cultures in the course of providing patient care. It''s estimated that 17 percent of St. Louis families speak a language other than English as their primary language.

Originally, this day marked the creation of the World Health Organization (WHO). With WHO''s global recognition, the focus of celebration for this day has changed to mark awareness of serious health issues that are faced by citizens around the world. This year the theme for World Health Day is international health security. The goal is to urge government, organizations, and communities to "Invest in health, build a safer future."

It had been a common scene only a few years ago in St. Louis for a 10-year-old immigrant child to interpret for his parents at places including banks, hospitals and police stations.