National Health Day (Kiribati)

National Health Day is a public holiday in the Republic of Kiribati. It is observed in early April to improve people\’s health.

Kiribati is an independent island nation in the central Pacific Ocean. People inhabited the islands thousands of years ago, and the first European contact took place in the 17th century. The Gilbert Islands became a British protectorate in 1892, and the crown colony together with the Ellice Islands in 1916. On July 12, 1979, the Gilbert Islands gained independence as the Republic of Kiribati.

The health of people in Kiribati has been an issue in recent years due to the high population density and the limited natural resources. The total population of Kiribati is about 120,000 and 90% of them live in the Gilbert Islands. Lacking tall buildings and modern technology, the high population densities produced many issues such as pollution, sanitation, etc.

At the same time, there are not enough filtration systems on the islands and only about two-thirds of the population can access clean water. All these issues led to many health issues and made it one of the countries with the lowest life expectancy. As a result, National Health Day was created to promote the importance of health.

The following is the list of National Health Day in Kiribati from 2022 to 2026.