World Health Organization

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World Health Organization - Global Health Guardian

  • Established: 7 April 1948 (World Health Day); UN specialized agency.
  • HQ: Geneva, Switzerland.
  • Constitution's Aim: Attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health.
  • Key Principle: Health as a fundamental human right.
  • Core Functions:
    • Global health leadership; setting norms & standards.
    • Technical support to countries; monitoring health situations.
  • Membership: 194 Member States.
  • Governing Bodies: World Health Assembly (WHA), Executive Board.
  • Regional Offices: 6 (SEARO: New Delhi).

⭐ WHO spearheaded the global eradication of smallpox, declared in 1980. WHO emblem

World Health Organization - Command & Control

  • Governing Bodies:
    • World Health Assembly (WHA)
    • Executive Board (EB)
    • Secretariat (headed by Director-General)
  • World Health Assembly (WHA):
    • Supreme decision-making body ("Health Parliament").
    • Meets annually (May, Geneva); all member states attend.
    • Functions: Policy setting, DG appointment (on EB nomination), financial oversight, budget approval.
  • Executive Board (EB):
    • 34 technically qualified health members.
    • Designated by Member States elected by WHA.
    • Term: 3 years; meets at least twice annually.
    • Functions: Implement WHA decisions & policies, advise WHA, prepare agenda.

    ⭐ The WHO Executive Board has 34 members, technically qualified in health, serving 3-year terms.

  • Secretariat:
    • Director-General (DG): Chief technical & administrative officer.
    • Appointed for a 5-year term. (Current: Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus)
    • Includes technical & administrative staff for day-to-day operations & programme implementation. WHO Governing Bodies Cycle

World Health Organization - Action Stations!

WHO is the UN's specialized agency for health, directing and coordinating international health work. Key actions include:

  • Core Functions:
    • Global health leadership: shaping research, setting norms/standards.
    • Policy: articulating evidence-based options.
    • Technical support: capacity building in countries.
    • Monitoring: tracking health trends, assessing risks.
    • Emergency response: coordinating for outbreaks (guided by IHR).
  • Flagship Initiatives:
    • Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).
    • WHO Model List of Essential Medicines (EML).
    • Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS).
    • COVAX facility for equitable COVID-19 vaccine access.
    • "Triple Billion" targets (GPW13): 1B more with UHC, 1B more protected (emergencies), 1B more with better health & well-being.

⭐ The WHO's "Triple Billion" targets, part of its 13th General Programme of Work (GPW13, 2019-2025), aim for measurable impacts on global health by 2025.

WHO Functions and Projects

World Health Organization - Health Harmony

  • Founded: April 7, 1948 (World Health Day).
  • HQ: Geneva, Switzerland.
  • Goal: "Health For All" - attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health.
  • Core Functions:
    • Global health leadership & partnerships.
    • Shaping research agenda; disseminating knowledge.
    • Setting norms & standards; promoting implementation.
    • Articulating ethical & evidence-based policy options.
    • Providing technical support, catalysing change.
    • Monitoring health situations & assessing trends (e.g., International Health Regulations - IHR).
  • Structure: World Health Assembly (WHA), Executive Board, Secretariat.
  • Regional Offices: 6; South-East Asia Regional Office (SEARO), New Delhi, serves India.

⭐ WHO definition of Health (1948): "A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."

High‑Yield Points - ⚡ Biggest Takeaways

  • WHO established: April 7, 1948, celebrated as World Health Day.
  • Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
  • Core objective: The attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health.
  • Highest governing body: World Health Assembly (WHA); meets annually.
  • Key publication/tool: International Classification of Diseases (ICD) for global health statistics.
  • India belongs to WHO SEARO (South-East Asia Region), office in New Delhi.
  • Key functions: Setting norms and standards, providing technical assistance, and monitoring global health trends.

Practice Questions: World Health Organization

Test your understanding with these related questions

All are provisions of WHO mental health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP), except:

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Flashcards: World Health Organization

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The headquarters of the WHO is in _____

TAP TO REVEAL ANSWER

The headquarters of the WHO is in _____

Geneva, Switzerland

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