Functions of WHO in PSM (Park's Textbook)

(Source: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, pp. 1020-1024)

About the WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized, non-political health agency of the United Nations, headquartered at Geneva. Its constitution came into force on 7th April 1948, now celebrated annually as World Health Day.

Objective: "The attainment by all peoples of the highest level of health" -- currently defined as a level of health that will permit people to lead a socially and economically productive life.

Work / Functions of WHO

WHO's first constitutional function is to act as the directing and coordinating authority on all international health work, enabling member states to collectively:

Identify priority health problems worldwide
Define health policies and targets
Devise strategies and programmes to attain those targets

1. Prevention and Control of Specific Diseases

Covers almost all communicable diseases - the global eradication of smallpox is the outstanding example; WHO now directs the global battle against poliomyelitis
Epidemiological surveillance of communicable diseases via the Weekly Epidemiological Record (WER) and the Automatic Telex Reply Service (ATRS)
Maintains the International Health Regulations to ensure maximum security against the international spread of diseases with minimum interference to world traffic
Also addresses non-communicable diseases: cancer, cardiovascular diseases, genetic disorders, diabetes, blindness, mental disorders, drug addiction, dental diseases
Activities in vector biology and control, immunology, quality control of drugs and biologicals, drug evaluation and monitoring
Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) - a priority programme

2. Development of Comprehensive Health Services

WHO's most important single function: promote and support national health policy development and comprehensive national health programmes
Organizes health systems based on primary health care
Develops health manpower and utilization
Builds long-term national capability in health infrastructure, managerial capabilities (monitoring and evaluation), and health services research
Launched Appropriate Technology for Health (ATH) to encourage self-sufficiency in solving health problems as part of primary health care

3. Family Health

A major programme since 1970
Broadly subdivided into: maternal and child health care, human reproduction, nutrition, and health education
Chief concern: improvement of quality of life of the family as a unit

4. Environmental Health

Advises governments on national programmes for basic sanitary services
Activities directed to: protection of quality of air, water, and food; health conditions of work; radiation protection; early identification of new hazards from technological developments
Key programmes: WHO Environmental Health Criteria Programme and WHO Environmental Health Monitoring Programme

5. Health Statistics

Disseminates morbidity and mortality statistics through:
- (a) Weekly Epidemiological Record
- (b) World Health Statistics Quarterly
- (c) World Health Statistics Annual
Publishes the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) (updated every 10 years; ICD-10 came into force on 1st January 1993) to ensure comparability of statistics across countries
Assists countries in improving medical records and planning national health information systems

6. Biomedical Research

WHO does not itself do research, but stimulates and coordinates research work
Established a worldwide network of WHO Collaborating Centres
Awards grants to research workers and institutions
Has Regional Advisory Committees on health research and a Global Advisory Committee
Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases targets: malaria, schistosomiasis, trypanosomiasis, filariasis, leishmaniasis, and leprosy

7. Health Literature and Information

Acts as a clearing house for health information
Publishes hundreds of titles on a wide variety of health subjects
WHO library is a satellite centre of MEDLARS (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System) of the U.S. National Library of Medicine

Structure of WHO (Key Points)

Body	Key Function
World Health Assembly	Determines international health policy; approves budget; elects member states to Executive Board
Executive Board	Gives effect to decisions of the Assembly; acts in emergencies (epidemics, earthquakes, floods); 34 members
Secretariat	Headed by the Director General; provides technical and managerial support to member states

WHO currently has 194 member states and 2 associate members.

Key exam point: WHO's first constitutional function = directing and coordinating authority on all international health work; most important single function = promoting and supporting national health policy and comprehensive health programme development.

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