The World Health Organization (WHO) was established on April 7, 1948 as a specialized agency of the United Nations to address international public health issues. It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland and has six regional offices. WHO's objectives include attaining the highest level of health for all people worldwide. It fulfills its mission through initiatives like programs for reproductive health, disease research, childhood diseases, vaccinations, and combating diseases like HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis. WHO provides technical support and publishes health reports, expert committee reviews, and epidemiological records to monitor global health trends and inform evidence-based policies.

1. Presented by
Ogundina Damilola. A

3. Introduction
• The World Health Organization (WHO) is a
specialized agency of United Nations that is
concerned with international pubic health.
• It was established on 7th April 1948 and is
headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
• The current Director General of WHO is Tedros
Adhanom (an Ethiopian PH official), 1 July 2017.
• Each year WHO celebrates its day of
establishment, April 7, as World Health Day.

4. History of WHO
• The first predecessors of WHO, which is
International Sanitary Conferences (ISC) originally
held on June 23rd 1851.
• Had series of conferences to combat many
diseases.
• 7th conference on 1892, the international sanitary
convention that dealt with cholera was passed.
• 5 years later, ISC for the plague was signed.

5. History continues
• Pan American Sanitary bureau and the office
international d'hygienic publique were founded in
1902 and 1907 respectively.
• 1920, league of nations was formed, they
established health organisation of the league of
nations.
• After world war 2, UN absorbed all other health
organization to for WHO.

6. WHO OBJECTIVE
• Although, its first priorities were to control the
spread of malaria, STIs, improve MCH, nutrition and
environmental hygiene.
• Its broad objective The attainment of highest level
of health by all people.
• WHO defines health is a complete state of physical,
mental, and social well -being and not merely the
absence of diseases or infirmities.

7. REGIONAL OFFICES
• African Reg.–(AFRO) in Brazzaville in Congo
Brazzaville
• Reg. Office Americas- (AMRO) in Washington D.C
USA
• Eastern Reg.- (EMRO)- Cairo, Egypt
• European Reg.- (EURO)- Copenhagen, Denmark
• South East Asia Reg.- (SEARO)- New Delhi, India
• West Pacific Reg.-(WPRO)- Manila, Philippines

8. Structures Of WHO
• World Health Assembly
• Executive board
• Secretariat

9. WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY
• The World Health Assembly is the legislative and supreme
body of WHO. The governance is carried out by the WHO
Assembly of member states. Meets annually in May. Duties
are to:
• Approve WHO programmes
• Review the work of the past year
• Approve budget for the biennium to run WHO
• Decide on the questions of major policies
• Vote for members to serve on the executive board for 3
years
• Each member has one vote

10. EXECUTIVE BOARD
• •Made up of rep from member state. Meets at
least twice a year, Carries out the decisions and
policy determined by the assembly
• Members are technically qualified in the field of
• health

11. SECRETARIAT
•
• Headed by the DG who is the chief technical and
administrative officer Provides member with
technical and managerial support for their national
health development programmes At the HQ
• there are 5 Assistant DG each of whom has a
division to adminster

12. WHO activities in Nigeria.
• Nigeria became part of WHO in 1960 and signed
basic agreement in 1962.
• WHO Resident representative is responsible for
WHO activities within the country. Dr
Wondimagegnehu Alemu is the WHO Country
Representative (WR) to Nigeria.
• Duties include support of planning and
management of National Health Policies. Provides
technical support to states and LGAs

13. CORE FUNCTIONS OF WHO
• As the directing and coordinating authority for
health within the UN, WHO is responsible for:
• Leadership on global health matters
• Shaping health research agenda
• Articulating evidence based policy options
• Providing technical support
• Monitoring and assessing health trends

14. TECHNICAL
INFORMATION/PUBLICATIONS
• provided through publications:
• WHO Health Reports- annual publication focusing on
specific issues and including statistics
• Technical Report Series –views of expert committees
on specific subjects
• WHO Bulletin – monthly original scientific research or
reviews
• Weekly Epidemiological Records- information about
occurrence of communicable diseases

15. Publications cont...
• International Travel and Health – information on
travel health requirements for travelers
• International Health Regulations - public health
regulations legally binding to WHO members
International

16. WHO INITIATIVES
• Human Reproductive Health Programme-HRP
• Tropical Diseases Research- TDR
• Integrated Management of Childhood Diseases-
IMCD
• Global Programme for Vaccination GPV/EPI

17. • Special programme for HIV/AIDS
• Roll Back Malaria –RBM
• Stop Tb Initiative using the DOTS

18. Thank you for listening!