March 27, 2024
Health

WHO: The World Health Organization

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The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized United Nations agency responsible for global health. The WHO’s major goal is “the attainment of the highest achievable standard of health by all peoples,” according to its mission. It has 6 regional offices and 150 regional offices around the world, with its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

The World Health Organization was established/found on April 7, 1948. On July 24, that year, the World Health Assembly (WHA), the agency’s governing body, had its first meeting. The World Health Organization incorporated the League of Nations’ Health Organization and the Office International d’Hygiène Publique’s funds, people, and duties, including the International Classification of Diseases. After a large inflow of financial and technological capabilities, it started work in earnest in 1951.

Advocating for universal health care, monitoring public health hazards, managing actions to health emergencies, and improving health and well-being are all part of the mission of WHO. It supports countries with technical aid, establishes worldwide health standards, and gathers data on global health challenges. The World Health Report is a periodical that assesses global health issues. The WHO also functions as a debate forum for health-related concerns.

WHO controls infectious diseases?

The WHO was instrumental in the control of infectious diseases, the near-eradication of polio, and the creation of an Ebola vaccine, among other successes in public health. Its top choices include HIV/AIDS, Ebola, COVID-19, malaria, and tuberculosis; non – communicable disease illnesses such as heart disease and cancer; a healthy diet, nutrition, and food security; occupational health; and substance abuse. Its World Health Assembly is held every four years.

An executive committee of 34 health specialists is elected and advised by the agency’s decision-making body. It appoints the director-general, establishes priorities and objectives, and determines the budget and operations. The director-general of WHO is the Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of Ethiopia.

The WHO is found through member state payments as well as private donors. It has a budget of about $7.2 billion for 2020–2021, with the most of funds coming from member states’ voluntary donations. Donations are calculated using a method that takes into account GDP per capita. Germany (which gave 12.18 percent of the budget), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (11.65 percent), and the United States were among the top contributors (7.85 percent)


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