The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that works to improve global health. It was established in 1948 and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The WHO aims to coordinate international health work and attain the highest standard of health for all people. It addresses issues like communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases, and health emergencies. The WHO played a key role in eradicating smallpox and bringing polio cases down by 99% globally. It also works with countries like India on initiatives to eliminate malaria and tackle health emergencies like COVID-19.

1. World Health Organization
Emergency Diseases
By- Yusra Khatoon
B.Com LL.B.(H)
2017-2022
7th Semester
Amity Law School, Amity University Lucknow Campus

2. Introduction
 World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations’ specialized agency
for Health was founded in 1948.
 Its headquarters are situated in Geneva, Switzerland.
 There are 194 Member States, 150 country offices, six regional offices.
 Full membership of the WHO is only guaranteed with the ratifying of the
treaty known as the Constitution of the World Health Organisation
 It is an inter-governmental organization and works in collaboration with its
member states usually through the Ministries of Health.
 The WHO 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 began functioning on April 7, 1948 – a date now being celebrated every
year as World Health Day.

3. Objective
 Defined by its constitution as "the directing and coordinating
authority on international health work," WHO aims at "the
attainment by all peoples of the highest possible standard of
health." Its mission is to improve people's lives, to reduce the burdens
of disease and poverty, and to provide access to responsive health care
for all people
 To act as the directing and coordinating authority on international
health work.
 To establish and maintain effective collaboration with the United
Nations, specialized agencies, governmental health administrations,
professional groups and such other organizations as may be deemed
appropriate.
 To provide assistance to the Governments, upon request, in
strengthening health services.
 To promote cooperation among scientific and professional
groups which contribute to the advancement of health

4. Health Policy of WHO
The WHO addresses government health policy
with the following two aims:
 To address the social and economic
determinants of health through policies and
programs “that enhance health equity and
integrate pro-poor, gender-responsive, and
human rights-based approaches”.
 To promote a healthier environment, intensify
primary prevention, and influence public
policies in all sectors to address the root causes
of environmental threats to health”.

5. Governance
WHO operations are carried out by three distinct components:
 the World Health Assembly,
 the executive board, and
 the secretariat.
 Region
 Member countries

6. World Health Assembly
 The World Health Assembly is the supreme decision-making
body, and it meets annually, with participation of ministers of
health from its 194 member nations.
 The Health Assembly is composed of delegates representing
Members.
 Each Member is represented by not more than three delegates,
one of whom is designated by the Member as chief delegate.
 These delegates are chosen from among persons most qualified
by their technical competence in the field of health, preferably
representing the national health administration of the Member.
 The Health Assembly meets in regular annual session and
sometimes in special sessions as well.

7. Function of Assembly
 To determine international heath policy and
program.
 To review the work of past years.
 To approve the budget
 To elect member state of designate a person to
serve for 3years on executive board.
 Supervises the financial policies of the
organization and reviews and approves the
proposed program budget.

8. Executive Board
 The executive board is composed of 34
members technically qualified in the field of
health.
 Member are elected for 3year terms.
 The main function of the board are to give
effect to the decisions and policied of the
health assembly, to advise it and generally to
facilitate its work.

9. Secretariat
 The secretariat of WHO is staffed by some
8000 health and other experts and support staff
on fixed-term appointment, working at
headquarters in the 6 regional offices.
 There are five Assistant Director General and
there responsibility is assigned by Director
General in different divisions.

10. WHO REGIONS
 Regions Headquarters
 South East Asia New Delhi (India)
 Africa Brazzaville (Congo)
 American Washington DC (U.S.A.)
 Europe Copenhagen (Denmark)
 Eastern Mediterranean Alexandria (Egypt)
 Western Pacific Manila (Philippines)

11. MEMBER STATES
 193 Member states among which 191 Members and 2 Associate
members; Niue and the Cook Islands.
 All UN Member states except 2 Non UN members States; Liechtenstein
and Switzerland.

12. WHO Priorities
 Providing support to countries in moving to universal
coverage with effective public health intervention;
 Strengthening global health security
 Generating and sustaining action across sectors to
modify the behavioral, social, economic, and
environmental determinants of health
 Increasing institutional capacities to deliver core public
health function under the strengthened governance of
ministries of health
 Strengthening WHO’s leadership at global and regional
levels and supporting the work of governments at
country level.

13. WHO’s Contribution to World
The WHO has been instrumental in eradicating the suffering of
millions all over the world through its assistance to various
governments. Some of the important milestones include:
 Eradication of smallpox in 1980.
 The organization is close to eradicating Polio, a disease that
affects mainly infants and young children. Due to eradication
programs by the WHO, polio cases have come down by 99%
since 1988.
 About 216 million people are suffering from Malaria, mostly in
tropical Africa, where 90% of Malaria cases and deaths are
recorded. In the African region, the death rate due to malaria has
been brought down by 60% as of 2018.

14.  It focuses on infectious diseases like HIV, influenza,
malaria, tuberculosis, and Ebola; and also other non-communicable
diseases such as heart disease and cancer.
 It also takes efforts in the direction of maternity and infant
healthcare, old-age care, and hygienic food and water for all.
 The organization believes that immunization, which prevents the
six major communicable diseases of childhood—diphtheria,
measles, poliomyelitis, tetanus, tuberculosis, and whooping
cough—should be available to all children who need it. WHO is
leading a worldwide campaign to provide effective immunization
for all children in cooperation with the United Nations Children’s
Fund (UNICEF).

15. WHO and India
 India became a party to the WHO on 12 January 1948.
 Regional office for South East Asia is located in New Delhi.
 Smallpox
 In 1967 the total number of smallpox cases recorded in India accounted
for nearly 65% of all cases in the world. In 1967, the WHO launched
the Intensified Smallpox Eradication Programme.
 With a coordinated effort by Indian government with the World Health
Organization (WHO), smallpox was eradicated in 1977.
 Polio
 Polio Campaign-2012: The Indian Government, in partnership with
UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation, Rotary International and the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention contributed to almost universal awareness of
the need to vaccinate all children under five against polio.
 As a result of these efforts, India was removed from the list of endemic
countries in 2014.

16. The National Strategic Plan for Elimination of Malaria (2017-2022)
was launched by the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare.
 Its chief aim is to eliminate Malaria by 2027.
 The National Strategic Plan has formulated year wise elimination targets in
various parts of the country.
 It is formulated with the support of the World Health Organization’s Global
Technical Strategy for Malaria (2016-2030).
 The WHO Country Cooperation Strategy – India (2012-
2017) has been jointly developed by the Ministry of Health and
Family Welfare (MoH&FW) and the WHO Country Office for India
(WCO)

17. Over all Focus of WHO
 Communicable diseases
 Non-communicable diseases
 Environmental health
 Life course and life style
 Surgery and trauma care
 Emergency work
 Health policy
 Digital Health

18. Emergency Work
o The World Health Organization's primary objective in natural and man-
made emergencies is to coordinate with member states and other
stakeholders to "reduce avoidable loss of life and the burden of disease
and disability."
o On 5 May 2014, WHO announced that the spread of polio was a world
health emergency – outbreaks of the disease in Asia, Africa, and the
Middle East were considered "extraordinary".
o On 8 August 2014, WHO declared that the spread of Ebola was a public
health emergency; an outbreak which was believed to have started in
Guinea had spread to other nearby countries such as Liberia and Sierra
Leone. The situation in West Africa was considered very serious.
o On 30 January 2020, the WHO declared the COVID-19 pandemic was
a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

19. Covid-19
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus
pandemic, is an ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease
2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory
syndrome coronavirus 2.
It was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan,
China. The World Health Organization declared the
outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International
Concern on 30 January 2020 and a pandemic on
11 March. As of 6 September 2020, more than
26.9 million cases have been reported in more than
188 countries and territories, resulting in more than
880,000 deaths; more than 18 million people have
recovered.

20. Common Symptoms
I. Fever
II. Dry Cough
III. Fatigue
IV. Respiratory Sputum production ( Phlegm)
V. Sore threat
VI. Kidney failure
VII. Asymptomatic
VIII. Muscle and Joint Pain
IX. Headache

21. Cause
 Transmission
 Virology
Diagnosis
 Viral Testing
 Imaging

22. Prevention
 Wash your hands
 Social distancing
 Face masks and respiratory hygiene
 Self –isolation
 Surface cleaning
 Sanitization
 Ventilation and air filtration
 Vaccine

23. Impact
 Economics
 Culture
 Politics
 Famine
 Education
 Other health issues
 Environment and climate
 Xenophobia and climate

24. International Responses
Travel Restrictions
Evacuation of foreign citizens
International aid
United Nations response measures

25. Current situation in India
 90802 – 7th September 2020 New cases
 4204613- Confirmed cases
 71642- Confirmed deaths
 1st case reported 30 January 2020

26. Thank You