The World Health Organization
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution, which establishes the agency's governing structure and principles, states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health."
History[edit | edit source]
The World Health Organization was established on 7 April 1948, a date now celebrated annually as World Health Day. The organization grew out of the international sanitary conferences, which convened in the 19th century to combat diseases such as cholera, yellow fever, and plague.
Structure[edit | edit source]
The World Health Organization is governed by member states through the World Health Assembly and the Executive Board. The Assembly is composed of representatives from WHO's member states and meets annually, while the Board is composed of members technically qualified in health and gives effect to the decisions and policies of the Assembly.
Functions[edit | edit source]
The World Health Organization's primary role is to direct and coordinate international health within the United Nations system. Its major tasks include combating diseases, especially key infectious diseases, and promoting the general health of the people of the world.
Criticism and Controversies[edit | edit source]
The World Health Organization has been subject to various criticisms and controversies throughout its history, including allegations of excessive concentration on lifestyle issues at the expense of combating infectious diseases, and accusations of being influenced by pharmaceutical companies.
See Also[edit | edit source]
 | This United Nations–related article is a stub. You can help WikiMD by expanding it. |
This health organization related article is a stub. You can help WikiMD by expanding it.
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
|
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
| Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
