The History of the World Health Organization
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a United Nations agency that coordinates matters of international public health. It organizes international efforts to monitor outbreaks of infectious diseases, and has worked to combat outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), swine flu and AIDS. WHO also promotes the development and distribution of vaccines, drugs and tools for fighting disease.
Facts
Across the globe, issues like hunger, homelessness and disease run rampant. These problems are especially present in Third World countries like Africa, where people are unable to support themselves or bring about improvements to their lifestyles. The World Health Organization is a specialized agency that deals with these issues. It is supported in its efforts by more than 190 countries. Through WHO, the world is presenting a united front in its fight for human health.
History
The World Health Organization was established in 1948. Its stated aim was to attain higher levels of health for all people. To that end, the organization promotes public health measures like safe drinking water, good sanitation, immunization against possible disease, reduction of hunger and birth control. These are matters that WHO inherited from its predecessor, the Health Organization of the League of Nations. The World Health Organization was one of the U.N.'s first agencies and one of its key initiatives.
Function
To combat issues like hunger, sanitation and disease, WHO is one of the world's fact-gathering organizations. WHO does not do its own research but encourages independent research in biomedical and health arenas throughout the world. The organization works with more than 500 international collaborating centers to collect and publish this research. WHO arranges international medical conferences and coordinates exchanges of researchers and medical workers who travel around the world to promote the organization's aims.
Geography and Organization
The World Health Organization functions across the world. The organization's home office is in Geneva, but it is represented by more than 190 countries, or members. These members include almost all U.N. countries, along with two non-U.N. members. The organization's general assembly meets once a year to appoint leaders and consider financial policies for the coming year. WHO is financed by its member states, private donors and its private-sector partnerships.
Significance
Throughout history, the World Health Organization has worked against infectious and dangerous diseases. The organization spent more than two decades fighting smallpox alone. In 1980, it declared that the disease was eliminated. It was the first disease ended by the efforts of mankind. WHO is now working to eradicate additional diseases, such as polio and influenza, and has turned its attention to the worldwide elimination of HIV and AIDS.
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