World Health Organization
 WHO Flag | |
 WHO headquarters in Geneva Copyright: WHO/Pierre Virot |
Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the World Health Organization (WHO) is an agency of the United Nations, acting as a coordinating authority on international public health. WHO was established by the UN on April 7, 1948.
After years of fighting smallpox, WHO declared in 1979 that the disease had been eradicated. It is nearing success in developing vaccines against malaria and schistosomiasis and aims to eradicate polio within the next few years.
Other than actually curing already occurring diseases, the Organization also puts great effort into producing articles on the cause of diseases. In addition to their work in eradicating disease, the WHO also carries out campaigns – for example, to boost consumption of vegetables worldwide, or adopting a negative stance towards tobacco – and conducts research: for instance, into whether or not the electromagnetic field surrounding cell phones has a negative influence on health.
Members of the UN appoint delegations to the World Health Assembly, which votes for the WHO Director General. The current Director General is Jong-Wook Lee.
See also:
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2 Other Notable Persons Associated With the WHO 3 External link |
| Name | Country | Term of Office |
|---|---|---|
| Brock Chisholm | Canada | 1948-1953 |
| Marcolino Gomes Candau | Brazil | 1953-1973 |
| Halfdan T. Mahler | Denmark | 1973-1988 |
| Hiroshi Nakajima | Japan | 1988-1998 |
| Gro Harlem Brundtland | Norway | 1998-2003 |
| Jong-Wook Lee | South Korea | 2003- |
Other Notable Persons Associated With the WHO
External link
- http://www.who.int