The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that works to promote health worldwide. It was established in 1948 with headquarters in Geneva. The WHO aims to keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. It has led efforts to eradicate smallpox and nearly eradicate polio. The WHO's highest decision-making body is the World Health Assembly, composed of health ministers from member states. It oversees the Executive Board and Director-General, who leads the secretariat staff of 8000 experts. The WHO works to prevent diseases, strengthen health systems, and set standards to achieve the highest level of health for all people.
2. Introduction
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of united nations.
WHO was established on 7th April 1948
The headquarters of WHO is located in Geneva
The WHO's mandate seeks and includes: working worldwide to promote
health, keeping the world safe, and serve the vulnerable.
The WHO has played a leading role in several public health achievements,
most notably the eradication of smallpox, the near-eradication of polio, and
the development of an Ebola vaccine.
Its current priorities include communicable diseases particularly HIV/
AIDS, Ebola, COVID19, malaria and tuberculosis;
Non-communicable diseases such as heart disease and cancer; healthy diet,
nutrition, and food security; occupational health; and substance abuse
3. Organizational Structure
1. World Health Assembly (Parliament)
The world health assembly is the supreme decision making body for WHO
It is the world’s highest health policy setting body and is composed of health
ministers from member states.
WHO generally meets in Geneva in May each year, and is attended by delegations from
all 194 members
The main tasks of the WH0 are to decide major policy questions, as well as to approve
the WHO work programme and budget and elect its Director-General (every fifth year)
and annually to elect ten members to renew part of its executive board.
In addition, seven agencies have observer status at the WHO – the Vatican,
the Palestinian Authority, the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, the International
Committee of the Red Cross, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red
Crescent Societies, the South Centre organization, and the Inter-Parliamentary Union
4. Main function of assembly are:
To determine international health policy and programme
To review the work of past years
To approve the budget
To elect the member state to designate a person to serve for 3 years on
executive board
Supervises the financial policies of the organization and reviews and
approves the proposed program budget
5. Executive Board
The executive board is composed of 34 members technically qualified in the
field of health
Members are elected for 3 year terms
The annual Board meeting is held in January when the members agree upon
the agenda for the World Health Assembly and the resolutions to be
considered by the Health Assembly.
A second shorter meeting takes place in May-June, as a follow-up to the
Health Assembly.
The main function of the board are to give effect to the decisions and
policies to the health assembly, to advice it and generally to facilitate its
work
6. Secretariat
The secretariat of WHO is staffed by some 8000 health and other experts
and support staff on fixed- term appointment, working at headquarters in the
6 regional offices
There are 5 assistant Director General and there responsibilities is assigned
by DG in different Division
The Organization is headed by the Director-General, who is appointed by
the Health Assembly on the nomination of the Executive Board.
7. Regional Office of WHO Headquarters
• African Region Brazzaville, Congo
• Region of the Americas Washington, USA
• South East Asia Region New Delhi, India
• European Region Copenhagen, Denmark
• Eastern Mediterranean Region Cairo, Egypt
• Western Pacific Region Manila, Philippines
8. Vision
The attainment by all people the highest level of health
Mission
to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable, with
measurable impact for people at country level. We are individually and
collectively committed to put these values into practice.
9. Health According to WHO
The WHO constitution states: “Health is a state of complete physical, mental
and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”.
An important implication of this definition is that mental health is more than
just the absence of mental disorders or disabilities
The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the
fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race,
religion, political belief, economic or social condition
10. Member States
• Membership into WHO is open to all countries
• All countries that are part of the UN are also members of WHO
• The Member States elect the Director-General, who leads the
organization in achieving its global health goals.
• WHO member states appoint delegations to the World Health Assembly,
the WHO's supreme decision-making body.
• All UN member states are eligible for WHO membership, and,
according to the WHO website, "other countries may be admitted as
members when their application has been approved by a simple
majority vote of the World Health Assembly"
11. WHO Global Service Centre
WHO Global Service Centre is an integral part of WHO’s global strategy in helping
WHO to deliver its global mandate and implement its programmes in a timely and
cost-effective manner.
The Global Service Centre provides administrative services to all staff and all WHO
offices worldwide in respect of Compliance and Risk Management, Global Finance,
Global Human Resources, Global Payroll, Global Procurement and Logistics, and
provide global IT operations support and user support through the Information
Management and Technology unit.
12. Centre Support Office (CSO)
The Centre Support Office encompasses all the management, administrative and
logistical activities required to enable the global delivery of Compliance, Finance,
HR, Payroll, Procurement and IT services by GSC.
Global Financial Services (GFI)
The Global Financial Services team handles the full range of invoice processing
payment, supplier management, encumbrance management, travel, award
management, and financial reporting and control services.
13. Global Payroll Services (GPAY)
Global Payroll Services delivers a range of Payroll Services to the staff members across
the organization. This includes Salary Payments, Entitlement Payments, Pension
Administration and US Tax Services.
Global Procurement and Logistics (GPL)
WHO global procurement team offers an array of procurement services addressing the
essential need of the organization within the scope of global goods and services
procurement, processing and global shipping.
Information Management and Technology (IMT)
IMT team is composed of 4 sub-teams: Operations and User Support, Application and
Information Management, Project Management & Governance, and Administration.
14. Role in Public
WHO has defined its role in public health as follows:
providing leadership on matters critical to health and engaging in
partnerships where joint action is needed
shaping the research agenda and stimulating the generation, translation, and
dissemination of valuable knowledge
setting norms and standards and promoting and monitoring their
implementation
articulating ethical and evidence-based policy options;
providing technical support, catalyzing change, and building sustainable
institutional capacity
monitoring the health situation and assessing health trends.
15. Policies and Objectives
(a) To act as the directing and coordinating authority on international health
work
(b) To assist Governments, upon request, in strengthening health services
(c) To furnish appropriate technical assistance and, in emergencies, necessary
aid upon the request or acceptance of Governments
(d) To provide or assist in providing, upon the request of the United Nations,
health services and facilities to special groups, such as the peoples of trust
territories
(e) To stimulate and advance work to eradicate epidemic, endemic and other
diseases
16. Functions
Prevention and control of specific diseases
Development of comprehensive services
To improve the :
Family Health
Environmental health
Health statistics
Bio- medical research
Assembling of Health literature and information
Cooperation with other organizations to get the equilibrium in improved
health status
17. Advantages
Neutral organization to all member state
Nearly universal membership
Global presence and networking
No parallel organization in tackling diseases
Large no. of expertise in all health issues
Strong coordination and convincing ability
Strong fund collecting ability
Global cooperation, collaboration and investment
18. Conclusion
The WHO has undertaken reforms to improve its ability to fight future
epidemics and boost the health of the hundreds of millions of people still
living in extreme poverty.
WHO operates in an increasingly complex and rapidly changing landscape.
The boundaries of public health action have become blurred, extending
into other sectors that influence health opportunities and outcomes.
The global vision that has brought improved travel and trade and increased
interdependency among countries also calls for a common vision of health
around the world. All countries are vulnerable to the ever-present threats of
infectious disease, outbreaks, and epidemics.
At the same time, there are opportunities for shared innovation and
universal purpose as many countries that suffer from similar disease
burdens strive to develop best practices and strong health systems for their
citizens.