What do you think about WHO ?

WHO was given a broad mandate under its constitution to promote the attainment of “the highest possible level of health” by all peoples. WHO defines health positively as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

The first director general of WHO was Canadian physician Brock Chisholm, who served from 1948 to 1953. Later directors general of WHO included physician and former prime minister of Norway Gro Harlem Brundtland (1998–2003), South Korean epidemiologist and public health expert Lee Jong-Wook (2003–06), Chinese civil servant Margaret Chan (2007–17), and Ethiopian public health official Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (2017– ).

Our main areas of work are health systems; health through the life-course; noncommunicable and communicable diseases; preparedness, surveillance and response; and corporate services.

"What do you think about..." sounds natural and normal to me. "How do you think about..." doesn't. It would be different if it were "How do you feel about..." or "How can you think about...", but "How do you think about..." doesn't sound natural, in my opinion.

Each year WHO celebrates its date of establishment, April 7, 1948, as World Health Day.

governance of WHO operates through the World Health Assembly, which meets annually as the general policy-making body, and through an Executive Board of health specialists elected for three-year terms by the assembly.

Where we work

We support countries as they coordinate the efforts of governments and partners – including bi- and multilaterals, funds and foundations, civil society organizations and the private sector.

The WHO Secretariat, which carries out routine operations and helps implement strategies, consists of experts, staff, and field workers who have appointments at the central headquarters or at one of the six regional WHO offices or other offices located in countries around the world

World Health Organization director general Margaret Chan (left) and Pan American Health Organization director Carissa Etienne (right) at a meeting concerning Zika virus held at the National Center for Risk and Disaster Management, Brasília.

Working together, we attain health objectives by supporting national health policies and strategies.

The organization is led by a director general nominated by the Executive Board and appointed by the World Health Assembly. The director general is supported by a deputy director general and multiple assistant directors general, each of whom specializes in a specific area within the WHO framework, such as family, women’s, and children’s health or health systems and innovation.

The organization is financed primarily from annual contributions made by member governments on the basis of relative ability to pay. In addition, after 1951 WHO was allocated substantial resources from the expanded technical-assistance program of the UN.

The World Health Organization (WHO), founded in 1948, is a specialized agency of the United Nations with a broad mandate to act as a coordinating authority on international health issues.

The U.S. government (U.S.) has long been actively engaged with WHO, providing financial and technical support as well as participating in its governance structure.

WHO officials periodically review and update the organization’s leadership priorities. Over the period 2014–19, WHO’s leadership priorities are aimed at:
1. Assisting countries that seek progress toward universal health coverage
2. Helping countries establish their capacity to adhere to International Health Regulations
3. Increasing access to essential and high-quality medical products

Most of us believe we can answer this question pretty well. Yet, you probably know someone who is self-deluded – which raises the uncomfortable possibility that you might be too. But how would you know?

The U.S. is currently the largest contributor to WHO.

WHO sponsors measures for the control of epidemic and endemic disease by promoting mass campaigns involving nationwide vaccination programs, instruction in the use of antibiotics and insecticides, the improvement of laboratory and clinical facilities for early diagnosis and prevention, assistance in providing pure-water supplies and sanitation systems, and health education for people living in rural communities

The WHO faces a number of challenges including a broad mandate with limited, inflexible funding, bureaucratic complexity, and a track record of poor responses to recent health emergencies; reforms have been initiated to address some of these challenges.

The WHO, founded in 1948, is a specialized agency of the United Nations (see Table 1). As outlined in its constitution, WHO has a broad mandate to “act as the directing and coordinating authority on international health work” within the United Nations system. It is made of 194 member states.

The organization, on request, provides technical advice to governments in the preparation of long-term national health plans, sends out international teams of experts to conduct field surveys and demonstration projects, helps set up local health centres, and offers aid in the development of national training institutions for medical and nursing personnel.

first director general of WHO was Canadian physician Brock Chisholm, who served from 1948 to 1953. Later directors general of WHO included physician and former prime minister of Norway Gro Harlem Brundtland (1998–2003), South Korean epidemiologist and public health expert Lee Jong-Wook (2003–06), Chinese civil servant Margaret Chan (2007–17), and Ethiopian public health official Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (2017– ).

World Health Organization Director-General Margaret Chan urged member states to step back in time and celebrate some of global health’s successes in her opening address before the 69th World Health Assembly on Monday.