World Health Organization (W.H.O)
The World Health Organization was founded on April 7, 1948 - a day that is celebrated every year as World Health Day - within the United Nations to attend to the Public Health. Sixty-one countries have signed the constitution of the World Health Organization after the first meeting of World Health Assembly. One of its most important contributions to the world’s health is the effort to root out the smallpox.
W.H.O’s core functions include:
- Creating standards and norms and also observing their consequences.
- Take control of matters which are related to health
- Observing the world’s population’s health situation
- Spreading the valuable science and knowledge throughout the world.
In 2012, WHO defined its thirteen priority areas. Two of these priorities were related to communicable diseases, one of which being the fight with AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
The General Program of Work that covers the period between 2014 and 2019 offers the framework for the consumption and resources of WHO.
All members of the United Nations were a member of WHO in 2013, except for Cook Islands and Niue. WHO members have representatives that attend World Health Assembly, which is the World Health Organization’s main decision-making body.
The head of the organization is elected by the World Health Assembly. Margaret Chan has been the director-general since November 6, 2006 and is going to keep her position until 2017.
There are 147 country offices that operate The World Health Organization in all its regions. WHO not only deals with the medical treatment of AIDS, it also tries to eliminate social and economic problems which lead to this kind go disease. WHO has decided to reduce the number of the infected people aged 15-24 by 50% from 2009 to 2015.
One of WHO’s goals is to root out polio. Since 1988, when the Global Polio Eradication Initiative was funded, WHO has been successful to decrease polio cases by 99%. In countries announced as “polio-free”, WHO immunizes children to prevent this disease from re-emerging.
"Disease, disability and premature deaths from chronic non-communicable diseases, mental disorders, violence and injuries, and visual impairment”is another item of WHO’s thirteen priorities. Road Safety is being promoted by WHO in order to reduce road accidents and injuries.
Pregnancy, childbirth, the infancy period and childhood are critical stages of life during which WHO has decided to reduce mortality and morbidness. WHO also efforts to reduce people’s health risks that are caused by the misuse of drugs, tobacco and alcohol.
WHO’s address to the government policy includes two aims:
The central position of the organization is in Geneva, Switzerland, which was opened in 1966.
Works Cited
- WHO, <http://www.who.int>, Web: December 6, 2014.
- "Global health sector strategy on HIV/AIDS 2011–2015" (pdf). WHO. 2011. p. 7. Web: December 6, 2014.
