World Health Organization

THE WORLD HEALTH Organization (WHO), established in 1948 by the United Nations (UN), has a mission to promote international cooperation for improved health conditions of all peoples. The headquarters for WHO are in Geneva, Switzerland. Operations fall under the World Health Assembly (the policymaking body holds annual meetings), an executive board of health (specialists elected for three-year terms by the assembly) and a secretariat with regional offices and staff throughout the world. Financing for the services provided by WHO comes from member governments based on ability to pay and, since 1951, from an allocation from the technical assistance program of the UN.

The auspices of the WHO include providing a central clearinghouse for information and research as relates to health, sponsoring measures for the control of ...