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WHO is
the United Nations’ specialized agency for Health.
It is an inter-governmental organization and works in collaboration with its
member states usually through the Ministries of Health. WHO’s
objective is the attainment by all people of the highest possible level of
health.
WHO's
Secretariat is staffed by health professionals, other experts and support
staff working at headquarters in Geneva,
six regional offices and country offices. In carrying out its activities,
WHO's secretariat focuses its work on the following six core functions:
 Articulating consistent, ethical
and evidence-based policy and advocacy positions;
Managing information by assessing
trends and comparing performance; setting the agenda for, and stimulating
research and development;
Catalysing change through
technical and policy support, in ways that stimulate cooperation and action
and help to build sustainable national and inter-country capacity;
Negotiating and sustaining
national and global partnerships;
Setting, validating, monitoring
and pursuing proper implementation of norms and standards;
Stimulating the development and testing of new technologies, tools and
guidelines for disease control, risk reduction, health care management, and
service delivery.
Activity Areas in
India
In India,
WHO provides technical assistance and collaborates with the Government of
India and major stakeholders in health development efforts. It assists
notably in Policy Development; Capacity
Building and Advocacy.
Technical assistance to the Government is provided through the following:
Core
Programme Clusters
Communicable Diseases and
Surveillance including Leprosy; Malaria; Filariasis;
Tuberculosis; HIV/AIDS and International Health Regulations.
Evidence & Information for
Policy including National Health Accounts; Policies; Medical Ethics;
Information System; Burden of Diseases; Essential Drugs and Medicines; World
Health Survey; Health Finance; Trade Agreements and Reform Issues.
Family and Community Health
including Reproductive Health and Research; Child and Adolescent Health;
Gender and Women Health; Immunization and Vaccine Development including
Hepatitis B; Nursing and Midwifery; Nutrition and Development and AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani,
Siddha and Homeopathy).
Social Change and Non-Communicable
Diseases including Cardiovascular Diseases; Mental Health and Substance
Abuse; Disability, Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation; Tobacco Control;
Health Care for the Elderly; Prevention of Deafness; Prevention of Blindness;
Health Promotion; Oral Health; Cancer; Non-Communicable Disease Risk Factors
Surveillance and other Non-Communicable Diseases.
Sustainable Development and Healthy Environment including Chemical
Safety; Emergency & Humanitarian Action; Food Safety; Health & Environment;
Healthy Cities; Environmental Epidemiology and Water Sanitation.
Special Programmes
National Polio Surveillance Progranmme,
Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme, Emergency and Humanitarian
Action in Gujarat and Rajasthan, Commission on Macroeconomics and Health, 3
by 5 for HIV / AIDS, Leprosy Elimination, Roll Back Malaria, Tobacco Free
Initiative, Lymphatic Filariasis and Health Internetwork.
External Collaboration and Partnerships
Recently WHO has worked closely with the government on health issues
in the aftermath of the tsunami, and for epidemic outbreaks like the Japanese
Enciphilitis. WHO is also working with the MOH in the pandemic preparedness plans for the Avian
Influenza.
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