The World Health Organization (WHO)

The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health.

It was established on April 7, 1948 and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

WHO’s primary objective is the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health, defined as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

History and Formation:
The idea for a global health organization emerged in the aftermath of World War II. In 1945, diplomats from various countries proposed creating an international health organization under the auspices of the newly formed United Nations. After extensive negotiations, the WHO Constitution was adopted by the International Health Conference in New York in 1946. It came into force on April 7, 1948 when it was ratified by the 26th member state. This date is now celebrated annually as World Health Day.

Structure and Governance: WHO’s highest decision-making body is the World Health Assembly, attended by delegations from all 194 Member States. The Assembly meets annually to determine policies, appoint the Director-General, supervise financial policies, and review and approve the proposed programme budget.

The Executive Board, composed of 34 members elected for three-year terms, gives effect to the decisions and policies of the Health Assembly, advises it and facilitates its work. The Secretariat comprises the Director-General and technical and administrative staff.

WHO has six regional offices – Africa, the Americas, South-East Asia, Europe, Eastern Mediterranean and Western Pacific. Each regional office has its own regional committee, which meets annually, and serves as WHO’s decentralized coordinating body on regional health matters.

Core Functions of WHO : WHO fulfills its objectives through its core functions: Providing leadership on global health matters
Setting norms and standards
Articulating evidence-based policy options
Providing technical support to countries
Monitoring health situations and trends

Key Areas of Work:

• Communicable Diseases: WHO leads global efforts to control, eliminate and eradicate infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and neglected tropical diseases. It played a crucial role in the eradication of smallpox in 1980.
• Non-communicable Diseases: WHO works to prevent and control cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes. It promotes healthy lifestyles and advocates for policies to reduce risk factors like tobacco use, unhealthy diets, and physical inactivity.
• Mental Health: WHO supports countries in promoting mental health, preventing mental disorders, and providing care and treatment.
• Environmental Health: WHO addresses environmental risk factors to health, including air pollution, climate change, and lack of access to safe water and sanitation.
• Health Systems: WHO assists countries in developing robust health systems, promoting universal health coverage, and strengthening health workforces.
• Health Emergencies: WHO leads and coordinates the international health response to emergencies, including disease outbreaks, natural disasters, and humanitarian crises.
• Health Through the Life-Course: WHO works on maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health, aging, and gender equity in health.

Major Achievements of WHO

• Smallpox Eradication: WHO led the global campaign that resulted in the eradication of smallpox in 1980, the first disease to be eliminated worldwide through human efforts.
• Polio Eradication: WHO has been at the forefront of efforts to eradicate polio. As of 2023, wild poliovirus remains endemic in only two countries.
• HIV/AIDS Response: WHO has played a crucial role in scaling up HIV prevention, treatment, and care services globally.
• Tobacco Control: The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which came into force in 2005, has been instrumental in reducing tobacco use worldwide.
• Essential Medicines: WHO’s Model List of Essential Medicines helps countries prioritize the most important medications for their health systems.

Challenges and Criticisms: Despite its achievements, WHO faces several challenges-

• Funding: WHO relies heavily on voluntary contributions from member states and donors, which can be unpredictable and earmarked for specific programs, limiting flexibility.
• Political Pressures: As an intergovernmental organization, WHO can be subject to political pressures from member states, which can sometimes interfere with its technical work.
• Bureaucracy: Critics argue that WHO’s large bureaucracy can slow its response to health emergencies.
• Scope of Mandate: There are debates about whether WHO should focus more on technical health issues or broader social determinants of health.
• Emergency Response: WHO’s handling of some disease outbreaks, particularly the initial response to the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, has been criticized.

Recent Developments: The COVID-19 pandemic has put WHO in the global spotlight. While the organization has played a crucial role in coordinating the global response, providing technical guidance, and supporting vaccine development and distribution through the COVAX facility, it has also faced criticism for aspects of its early response to the outbreak.

In response to lessons learned from COVID-19 and other recent health emergencies, WHO is undergoing reforms to strengthen its capacity for emergency preparedness and response. It is also advocating for a new international treaty on pandemic preparedness and response.

WHO continues to push for progress towards universal health coverage and the health-related Sustainable Development Goals. It is also increasingly focusing on the health impacts of climate change and the potential of digital health technologies.

For 75 years, the World Health Organization has played a vital role in promoting global public health. Despite challenges, it remains the world’s leading authority on international health matters. As the world faces complex health challenges in the 21st century, from emerging infectious diseases to the growing burden of non-communicable diseases and the health impacts of climate change, WHO’s leadership and technical expertise will continue to be crucial in the quest for a healthier world for all.