who(world health organization

8/2/2019 WHO(World Health Organization

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WHO

Who is WHO?


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The WorldHealthOrganization (WHO) is a

specializedagency oftheUnitedNations (UN) thatis

concernedwithinternationalpublic health.


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It was established on 7 April 1948,with headquarters in Geneva,

Switzerland and is a member ofthe

United Nations Development

Group. Its predecessor, the Health

Organization, was an agency oftheLeague of Nations.


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The WHO's constitution states

thatits objective "is the

attainmentby allpeople ofthe

highestpossible levelofhealth."Apartfrom coordinating

internationalefforts to controloutbreaks ofinfectious disease,

such as SARS,


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malaria, tuberculosis, influenza, and

HIV/AIDS, the WHO also sponsorsprograms to prevent and treat such

diseases. The WHO supports the

development and distribution of safeand effective vaccines,

pharmaceutical diagnostics, and

drugs, such as through the Expanded

Program on Immunization.


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M

embership As of 2012, the WHO has 194 member states,

including the CookIslands and Niue. Non-

members ofthe WHO include Liechtensteinand other states with limited diplomatic

recognition. Several other entities have been

granted observer status. Palestine is anobserver as a "national liberation movement"recognised by the League of Arab States

under United Nations Resolution 3118.


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WHO Member States appoint delegations

to the World Health Assembly, WHO'ssupreme decision-making body. All UN

Member States are eligible for WHOmembership, and, according to the WHO

web site, "other countries may be admittedas members when their application hasbeen approved by a simple majority vote of

the World Health Assembly."


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Assembly andExecutive

Board The World Health Assembly is the legislative

and supreme body of WHO. Based in

Geneva, ittypically meets yearly in May. Itappoints the Director-General every fiveyears, and votes on matters of policy and

finance of WHO, includingthe proposedbudget. It also reviews reports ofthe

Executive Board and decides whetherthere

are areas of work requiring furtherexamination.


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The Assembly elects 34 members,technically qualified in the field ofhealth, to the Executive Board for

three-yearterms. The main functionsofthe Board are to carry outthe

decisions and policies ofthe

Assembly, to advise it and to facilitateits work.


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Head Dr. MargaretChan


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Financingandpartnerships

The WHO is financed by contributions from

Member States and donors. In recent years, theWHO's work has involved increasing

collaboration with external bodies; there are

currently around 80 partnerships ("official

relations" and "working relations")[40] with

NGOs and the pharmaceutical industry, aswell as with foundations such as the Bill and

Melinda Gates Foundation and the Rockefeller

Foundation.

who(world health organization

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