World Health Organization (WHO)

It is the specialized agency of United Nations, founded in 1948. It is headquartered at Geneva, Switzerland. It provides leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends. It consists of 194 member states. India became a party to the WHO on 12 January 1948. Regional office for South East Asia is located in New Delhi.

Governance Structure

• The decision making body of WHO is known as World Health Assembly. It is attended by delegations from all WHO Member States and focuses on a specific health agenda prepared by the Executive Board. The main functions of the World Health Assembly are to determine the policies of the Organization, appoint the Director-General, supervise financial policies, and review and approve the proposed programme budget. The Health Assembly is held annually in Geneva, Switzerland. WHO is headed by the Director-General, who is appointed by the Health Assembly on the nomination of the Executive Board.
• The Executive Board is composed of 34 technically qualified members elected for three-year terms.The main functions of the Board are:
  • to give effect to the decisions and policies of the Health Assembly
  • to advise the World Health Assembly
  • to facilitate the work of the Health Assembly generally.