World Health Organization

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.

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.

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.

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.