World Health Organization In Geneva Switzerland Body Of UNO

After the establishment of the United Nations Organization, the World Health Organization was set up on 7th April 1948 to monitor public health internationally. Today the day is celebrated worldwide as World Health Day. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, it carried forward the legacy inherited from the Health Organization, the specialized body of the League of Nations set up with a similar motive.

The Constitution of the World Health Organization states its main objective as the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health. It further goes on to define health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. It is mainly concerned with fighting disease especially infectious diseases and promoting the health to the people world over. It even undertakes the responsibility of sponsoring program to create awareness and treat such diseases.

World Health Organization undertakes research works for the development of safe and effective vaccines and drugs, which it distributes among its member states. It is hoped that the research and development wing of the organization will soon be able to develop vaccines for diseases such as malaria and schistosomiasis. It has already declared smallpox eliminated from the human society and is trying hard to do away with polio in the next few years. It carries out campaigns to encourage the intake of fruits and vegetables in the regular diet and discourage the consumption of tobacco.

There are at present 193 member states of the World Health Organization. All nations listed in the United Nations are eligible to become members of the organization. The member states appoint the members of the World Health Assembly, its apex body is responsible for taking all its decisions.

Every year the World Health Assembly meets in May to discuss its various objectives and policies. It appoints the Director General of the World Health Organization for a period of 5 years. In its annual meeting it reviews and approves its various policies, annual budget and programs.

The Assembly of World Health Organization elects 34 members to the Executive Body for a 3-year term who are professionally qualified in the field for implementing the various programs and advising the Assembly to carry out its work efficiently. It also has a Secretariat that has regional offices and field staff all over the world who carry out the daily work.

World Health Organization primarily raises funds from contributions made to it by the member states and donors. Recently it has gone into collaborations and partnerships with different NGOs and pharmaceutical industry. With other private contributions coming in, the organization is expected to perform better and fulfill its objective of a world free of deadly diseases. World Health Organization