VZCZCXRO1397
PP RUEHIK
DE RUEHC #6776/01 0542352
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 232348Z FEB 10
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO ALL DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI PRIORITY 2846

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 016776 
 
SIPDIS, FOR ESTH OFFICERS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICERS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV AID TBIO SOCI
SUBJECT: MARK YOUR CALENDAR:  2010 SPECIAL HEALTH OBSERVANCE 
DAYS 
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STATE 00016776  001.2 OF 003 
 
SUMMARY 
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¶1.  There are over one hundred special observance days, 
months, and years that are celebrated world-wide to bring 
attention to worthy causes including well known days such as 
World AIDS Day (Dec. 1) and the lesser known, such as World 
Rural Women's Day (Oct. 15).  The Department has compiled a 
list of health related special days that Environmental, 
Science, Technology, and Health (ESTH) and Public Diplomacy 
Officers should consider supporting through programming events 
in cooperation with other USG agencies at post (e.g. USAID, 
HHS/CDC), host country health authorities, and local civil 
society engaged in public health.  Posts are encouraged to 
support events, programming, and media appearances that 
commemorate these dates and highlight the United States 
commitment to a healthier world through global health 
diplomacy.  ESTH officers should take into account local 
public health priorities as well as local culture and 
standards when deciding which observance day(s) to support. 
The Office of International Health and BioDefense (OES/IHB) 
will send out reminder notices with talking points and 
suggested activities for some of the days. 
¶2.  In addition to these particular days, some posts will 
receive information on dates for polio immunization campaigns 
in their host countries, and are urged to support these 
campaigns through voluntary participation by post personnel or 
other public diplomacy activities. 
¶3.  Celebrating special health observance days should be 
linked where possible to the Administration's Global Health 
Initiative (GHI); see paragraphs 6 and 14. 
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BACKGROUND 
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¶4.  The United States, other countries, and the United Nations 
celebrate special health days to raise global awareness on 
public health issues of international interest and concern. 
These days are organized to commemorate a special event, 
promote awareness on a certain topic, or mobilize private and 
public action.  For posts, supporting observance of special 
health days can be an important and useful public diplomacy 
tool.  This message contains a list of special health 
observance days that the Department supports as particularly 
significant and globally relevant.  (There are many other 
commemoration dates - a more complete list of days can be 
found on the United Nations website at 
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2008/Refere nce_Paper_No_47.d 
oc.htm and/or the World Health Organization's list of annual 
days it celebrates: 
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/events/annual/ en/index.html. 
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HEALTH DIPLOMACY 
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¶5.  The U.S. government sees improving public health and 
health systems around the world as both a humanitarian and a 
national security imperative.  Better global health promotes 
stability, growth, and development which can deter the spread 
of extremism, ease pressure for migration, reduce the need for 
humanitarian and development assistance and create 
opportunities for stronger political alliances and economic 
relations.  Health diplomacy is an important element of 
foreign policy that enhances U.S. and global security and 
builds strong partnerships. 
¶6.  The Global Health Initiative (GHI) is a key element of 
U.S. health diplomacy.  The U.S. will invest $63 billion over 
six years to help partner countries improve health outcomes 
through strengthened health systems - with a particular focus 
on improving the health of women, newborns and children 
through programs including infectious diseases, nutrition, 
maternal and child health, and safe water.  Additional 
information on the GHI is available in the Implementation of 
the Global Health Initiative: Consultation Document, which can 
be found at 
http://www.pepfar.gov/documents/organization/ 136504.pdf. 
¶7.  Secretary Clinton has noted in numerous speeches the need 
to increase America's "smart power."  Health diplomacy is a 
key part of our array of smart power diplomatic tools because 
it enhances U.S. security and creates a positive image of the 
United States around the world by improving the quality of 
life in recipient countries.  Observing and supporting World 
Health Days is an important part of our health diplomacy tool 
kit. 
¶8.  In one of her first speeches on Health Diplomacy, OES 
Assistant Secretary Dr. Kerri-Ann Jones stated that "Health 
Diplomacy emphasizes the integral relationship between two 
traditional areas of national and international concern -- 
diplomacy and global health."  She continued that "in earlier 
times diplomacy had been predominantly focused on issues of 
 
STATE 00016776  002.2 OF 003 
 
political, military and commercial affairs, and global health 
had been perhaps more narrowly included in a development 
perspective - today the two areas have both broadened to 
recognize the far greater expanse of health issues in foreign 
policy and national security." 
¶9.  The Department asks posts to use their connections in 
their local diplomatic communities and throughout their host 
countries to promote global health days as part of a health 
diplomacy strategy. 
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SUPPORT FOR HEALTH DAYS IN 2009 
------------------------------- 
¶10.  Global health days were widely celebrated in 2009 by 
Posts in all geographic bureaus.  For example, over 20 posts 
participated in World Tuberculosis (TB) Day (March 24) events. 
The creative and effective programming of some posts deserves 
special mention: 
¶11.  In Ulaanbaatar the Medical Unit hosted a lecture for all 
Embassy staff on both TB and HIV/AIDS.  Outside the Embassy, 
Post organized public presentations at the city library on 
U.S. efforts to combat TB.  In Abidjan, in addition to a Chief 
of Mission Op-Ed on TB, the DCM delivered the keynote address 
at the county's National World TB Day Celebration and she also 
presented certificates to several NGOS who were honored for 
their work in combating TB.  At the same time in Dushanbe, the 
Ambassador and the Tajik First Deputy Minister of Health 
opened a TB Day awareness concert.  In Gaborone the Embassy 
co-hosted a one-day seminar on gender and TB which targeted 
women working as home-based care officers, family welfare 
educators, counselors and media practitioners.  In Maputo, 
staff used the Embassy's Facebook page to educate all of their 
"Facebook friends" on TB. 
¶12.  Several other Missions participated in World TB Day 
including Ashgabat, Bangkok, Montevideo, Bucharest, Phnom 
Penh, Brasilia, Oslo, Kuwait City, Durban, Kabul, Djibouti, 
Seoul, Moscow, Tallinn, Hanoi, Nouakchott, and London. 
 
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2010 CALENDAR 
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¶13.  The special observance dates are listed below. 
Department supported, health-related information and guidance 
will be available for some of the days in the weeks preceding 
their observance. 
February 
*       4  World Cancer Day 
March 
*       8   International Woman's Day 
*       22  World Water Day 
*       24  World Tuberculosis Day 
April 
*       7   World Health Day 
*       22  Earth Day 
*       25  World Malaria day 
May 
*       12  International Nurses Day 
*       28  International Day of Action for Women's Health 
*       31  World No Tobacco Day 
September 
*       5   World Environment Day 
 
*       21  Alzheimer's Day 
*       The last Sunday is World Heart Day 
October 
*       10  World Mental Health Day 
*       15  Global Handwashing Day 
*       16  World Food Day 
*       24  World Polio Day 
November 
*       2   World Pneumonia Day 
 
*       14  World Diabetes Day 
December 
*       1  World AIDS Day 
 
¶14.  Post should incorporate the GHI framework where possible 
when planning their programming for special health observance 
days.  For example, public outreach on days such as the 
International Day of Action for Women's Health (May 28) should 
reference the GHI's focus on improving maternal and child 
health. 
¶15.  OES/IHB typically sends information and suggested action 
cables on World Water Day, World Polio Day, and World 
Tuberculosis day.  In 2009 we also sent cables for World 
Pneumonia Day.  The Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator 
generally sends a cable for World AIDS Day.  The cables 
typically have a background section, cleared talking points, 
and suggested media-friendly activities.  Posts are encouraged 
to use these cables as primers for the topics and to promote 
health diplomacy in their host countries.  Regional 
Environmental Hub officers are invited to compile data on 
their regional activities and/or data on the health issue at 
 
STATE 00016776  003.2 OF 003 
 
hand.  As always, we are interested in hearing about any 
public outreach activities post has conducted and we would 
like to highlight these activities in posts on the OES 
website.  For further information please contact Jehan Jones- 
Radgowski (OES/IHB) (JonesJS2@state.gov) or OES public 
outreach officer Alice Chu (OES/PO) (ChuAR@state.gov). 
¶16.  Minimize considered. 
CLINTON