World Health Organization

The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN). It was established on April 7, 1948, to promote international cooperation in improving health conditions. The WHO administrative office is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland; however, WHO has six regional offices for Africa, the Americas, Southeast Asia, Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Western Pacific, located in major cities in each area.

The WHO mission is improving the health of all people of the world. The WHO definition of health is broad: As defined in the WHO constitution, ‘health is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.’ A major aspect of this mission is to combat disease, especially infectious diseases, through the development and distribution of vaccines and by coordinating international efforts in monitoring outbreaks of diseases such as malaria and AIDS. However, WHO is also concerned with matters that affect health less directly, such as improving living conditions.

WHO work may be divided into three categories: (1) gathering and dissemination of health information through research services, (2) disease control through providing vaccination and medication, and (3) consultation and education through organizing conferences.

WHO has 192 member states: These include all UN member states, except Liechtenstein, and two non-UN members, Niue and the Cook Islands. These member states appoint delegations to the World Health Assembly, which is WHO's highest decision-making body. The World Health Assembly, which generally meets in May of each year, elects 32 members who are qualified in the field of health and are representatives from WHO's member states to be appointed to the Executive Board for 3-year terms. The main functions of the Board are to give effect to the decisions and policies of the Assembly, to advise it, and generally to facilitate its work.

The Assembly's main duty includes the supervision of the financial budgets, reviewing proposed projects, and appointing the Director General. WHO is financed based on annual contributions made by member governments on the basis of relative ability to pay and on the allocated resources that were assigned by the UN after 1951.

The day-to-day work of the WHO is carried out by its Secretariat, with regional offices throughout the world. These offices are staffed with health care workers who carry out the health projects designed for improving the human beings’ health status in that specific region. In addition, WHO is represented by its Goodwill Ambassadors, who work independently and freely. These Ambassadors are usually celebrities, appointed in a nondiplomatic position to use their talent and fame in advocating for the health and wellbeing of human beings and in supporting WHO's goals and purposes.

WHO operates in 147 country and liaison offices in all its regions. The presence of a country office is motivated by a specific need and must be requested by that country. The country office is headed by a WHO Representative (WR), who is not a national of that country. The office consists of the WR and several health experts, both foreign and local. The main functions of WHO country offices include being the primary adviser of that country's government in matters of health and pharmaceutical policies, as well as coordinating a role for the action of other international and/or nongovernmental organizations when health is concerned and to provide leadership and coordination for emergency and disaster medical relief efforts.

...