The World Health Organization has an official constitution, which defines health as a fundamental right that applies to all human beings regardless of race, religion, political belief, or socioeconomic status. Numerous nation states have endorsed the health charter, and they are legally required to safeguard the right to a high standard of physical and mental well-being for all citizens. However, there are still many questions about what constitutes good health. The World Bank’s definition of good wellbeing emphasizes physical well-being, whereas the WHO’s is focused on mental health.
In addition to medical approaches, other theories of health include social models. The medical model considered health as an absence of disease, while the biopsychosocial model viewed it as a holistic concept that incorporated psychological, social, and environmental aspects of health. According to the World Heath Organisation, health is a state of complete physical and mental well-being. In other words, health is a condition that can be maintained, promoted, and sustained.
Achieving health involves promoting a healthy lifestyle, reducing stress and anxiety, and engaging in physical activity. Changing habits and attitudes to achieve this goal requires an effort on the part of all stakeholders, including the health sector. But even if it is possible to change the prevailing values, a major challenge remains: changing the way we define health is not possible with one sector alone. Because of the complexity of health, the importance of health cannot be achieved through a single policy approach.