CRITICAL ANALYSIS ON THE ROLE OF WHO BY - SWATEE KUMARI
CRITICAL
ANALYSIS ON THE ROLE OF WHO
AUTHORED BY - SWATEE
KUMARI
Introduction
The United
Nations’ specialised organisation for health, the World Health Organization
(WHO), was established in 1948. The organisation’s headquarters is in Geneva,
Switzerland. There are 194 Member States, 150 Country Offices, and six Regional
Offices in the Organisation. It is an intergovernmental organisation that
collaborates with its member nations, generally through their health
ministries.
The WHO
leads the global health issues by setting the research agenda, establishing
norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy alternatives, helping
nations with technical assistance, and monitoring and analysing health trends.
It began operations on April 7, 1948, now observed as World Health Day every
year.
The World
Health Organization (WHO) is a United Nations agency tasked with recorded both
successes, such as the eradication of smallpox, and perceived failures, such as
the delayed response to the 2014 Ebola epidemic. In response, WHO implemented
reforms to improve its combat capacity. back against future epidemics and to
improve the health of the hundreds of millions of people who still live in
extreme poverty. However, the WHO is struggling to loosen its rigid bureaucracy
and its budget is increasingly stretched. The COVID-19 pandemic has proven to
be another major challenge for the health agency, sparking renewed debate about
its effectiveness. Founded in 1948 as part of the United Nations, the WHO has a
broad mandate to direct and coordinate international health policy. His main
responsibilities include developing partnerships with other global health
initiatives, conducting research, setting standards, providing technical
support and monitoring health trends worldwide. Over the decades, WHO scope has
expanded from its original focus on women and children, as well as health,
nutrition, sanitation, and the fight against malaria and tuberculosis.
How is the WHO
Governed
WHO is
headquartered in Geneva and has six regional offices and 150 offices in the
country. It is run by representatives of its 194 member states, who vote on
policy and elect a chief executive. Ethiopia's former foreign minister, Tedros
Adhanom Ghebreyesus, was elected for a five-year term in 2017 and again in
2022. He is the first head of the WHO from Africa, and his election was the
first time that all WHO countries received equal votes. WHO representatives
decide on the agency's action plan and annually approve the budget for its
activities at the World Health Assembly.
Goals of WHO
WHO’s
mission revolves around ensuring that all people have access to the best
possible health facilities. The organisation has a wide range of functions that
support its principal goal.
These
include;
·
Assume the role of supreme authority in international
healthcare.
·
To encourage technological collaboration in the field
of healthcare.
·
To help various governments in improving healthcare
services.
·
On the request or acceptance of governments, provide
adequate technical assistance in crises and essential relief.
·
To begin and continue efforts on the epidemic,
endemic, and other disease prevention and control.
·
To encourage, if required, the improvement of
nutrition, housing facilities, sanitation, recreation, economic or working
circumstances, and other areas of environmental hygiene in collaboration with
other specialised agencies outside and inside the United Nations.
·
To encourage global biomedical and health services
research.
·
To encourage higher teaching and training standards in
the healthcare, medical, and allied professions.
·
To develop worldwide standards for biological,
pharmaceutical, and other related goods and standardise diagnostic processes.
·
To encourage initiatives in mental health.
India and the world
health organization
On January
12, 1948, India became a World Health Organisation (WHO) member. The regional
office for South-East Asia is located in New Delhi.
Smallpox
The total
number of smallpox cases reported in India in 1967 accounted for roughly 65 per
cent of all cases worldwide. Of these, 26,225 patients perished, painting a
bleak picture of the uphill battle. The World Health Organisation (WHO)
initiated the Intensified Smallpox Eradication Programme in 1967. Smallpox was
eliminated in 1977, thanks to a joint effort by the Indian government and the
World Health Organisation (WHO).
Polio
With
financial and technical assistance from the World Bank, India initiated the
fight against the illness in response to the WHO’s 1988 Global Polio
Eradication Initiative. The Indian government, in collaboration with UNICEF,
the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,
Rotary International, and the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention,
helped to raise almost universal awareness of the need to vaccinate all
children under the age of five against polio in 2012. India was removed from
the list of endemic nations in 2014 due to these initiatives.
The WHO Agenda
WHO
operates in an increasingly complex and rapidly changing environment. The
boundaries of public health activities are blurring and expanding into other
areas that affect health opportunities and outcomes. WHO responds to these
challenges with a six-point agenda. The six points address two health goals,
two strategic needs and two operational approaches. WHO's overall performance
is measured by the impact of its work on the health and well-being of African
women.
1.
Promoting Development
Over the
past decade, health has achieved unprecedented status as a key driver of
socioeconomic progress, and more resources are being invested in health than
ever before. But poverty still causes ill health, and ill health anchors the
entire population to poverty. Health development is guided by the ethical
principle of equality: access to life-saving or health resources should not be
denied for unjust reasons, including economic or social reasons. Commitment to
this principle ensures that health outcomes for poor, disadvantaged or
vulnerable groups are at the forefront of WHO and #039 health development
efforts. The cornerstones of the health and development program are the
achievement of the Millennium Development Goals related to health, the prevention
and treatment of chronic diseases and the treatment of neglected tropical
diseases.
2.
Strengthening Health System
For health
promotion to work as a poverty reduction strategy, health services must reach
poor and disadvantaged populations. Health systems in many parts of the world
are unable to do this, so strengthening health systems is a priority for WHO.
Areas to be addressed include adequate numbers of properly trained staff,
adequate funding, adequate systems to collect relevant statistical data and access
to appropriate technology, including essential medicines.
3.
Fostering Health Security
Common
vulnerability to health security threats requires collective action. One of the
biggest threats to international health security is the outbreak of new and
epidemic-threatening diseases. Such outbreaks are increasing, fuelled by
factors such as rapid urbanization, poor environmental management, the way food
is produced and sold, and the misuse of antibiotics. The world and its ability
to collectively protect itself against epidemics has common vulnerability to
health security threats requires collective action. One of the biggest threats
to international health security is the outbreak of new and
epidemic-threatening diseases. Such outbreaks are increasing, furled by factors
such as rapid urbanization, poor environmental management, the way food is
produced and sold, and the misuse of antibiotics. The world and its ability to
collectively protect itself against epidemics has strengthened since June 2007,
when the revised International Health Regulations came into force. strengthened
since June 2007, when the revised International Health Regulations came into
force.
4. Enhancing
Partnership
WHO carries
out its work with the support and collaboration of many partners, including UN
agencies and other international organizations, donors, civil society and the
private sector. WHO uses the strategic power of evidence to encourage partners
implementing programmes within countries to align their activities with best technical
guidelines and practices, as well as with the priorities established by
countries.
5. Harnessing
research, information and evidence
Evidence is
the basis for setting priorities, defining strategies and measuring results.
WHO produces authoritative health information in collaboration with leading
experts to set standards and norms, provide science-based policy options and
monitor global health.
6.
Improving Performance
WHO is
engaged in ongoing reforms aimed at improving its effectiveness and efficiency
both internationally and within countries. WHO aims to ensure that its
strongest asset - its staff - work in a motivating and rewarding environment.
WHO plans its budget and operations using results-based management. With clear
expected results, performance can be measured at national, regional and
international levels.
The global role of
the world health organization
The global
health world of the 21st century requires effective global action in light of
the globalization of business, tourism, information, human rights, ideas and
disease. The new era of global health is more diverse, involving multiple key
actors, and requires better coordination of actions, priorities and
investments. The World Health Organization (WHO) plays a central role in the
global management of health and disease. Thanks to its global main tasks, the
creation, control and implementation of international norms and standards and
the coordination of many actors to achieve common goals. Global health requires
the leadership of WHO and the effective implementation of WHO's global core
functions so that all health actors can be more effective, but the realization
of the global mission can be hindered by the narrowing of functions and the
reallocation of budgets to fulfil global core functions.
Globalization
and health
Globalization
offers opportunities and challenges for global health and its spread. The
prospects for improving health are enhanced by the transfer of medical and
public health knowledge and technology from one end of the globe to another,
such as the sharing of best practices, health care. promotional and preventive
strategies and of course treatment. In addition, all countries benefit from
international norms and standards and ongoing global health promotion. Beyond
health, the benefits of globalization range from gender empowerment and
advances in human rights to improved trade, information technology and economic
growth. Globalization has also accelerated the spread of infectious diseases,
as evidenced by the rapid outbreak of major diseases. Acute respiratory
syndrome (SARS) exacerbated existing health disparities between and within
countries and was linked to the global marketing of unhealthy consumption
patterns. Thus, the main challenge of globalization in the 20th century is
related to global inequalities and externalities, not only health, but also
other economic and social indicators. The distribution of health benefits from
the globalization process depends on the existing economic, social, domestic.
political conditions of countries, the fairness of trade and investment
agreements, the current political economy and the strength of the multilateral
global health system. Globalization creates certain problems that are serious
and beyond the control of individual countries. Avoiding the continuation of
the international category of very poor countries, excluded from the interests
the majority of the world economy, requires broad, varied and continuous
support and cooperation of the international health community.
The of global in
global health governance
Improving
health and addressing health disparities and externalities requires effective
international health interventions that involve significant global health
efforts that transcend individual nation states, even with external assistance.
Global operations can be distinguished from national or regional operations in
that they go beyond the capabilities of individual countries and include
categories such as; norms and standards, global operations, professional management,
transfer of financial resources, scientific research capacity and management.
International health professionals play various roles in relation to these
global operations. Global health activities can also be divided into activities
that aim to promote global public health benefits; activities that are also
beyond the reach of individual governments and independent groups but benefit
all countries, even at the national level. Global health products include:
global health promotion; use of bioethical and human rights tools; disease and
risk monitoring; direct global action; investments in major health issues; and
the use of norms and standards. Examples of such activities include the World
Health Organization's (WHO) World Health
Day 2001
focusing on mental health as a global health focus, WHO's promotion of
international ethics and human rights through international legislation, and
the leadership of WHO. role in global norms and standards such as the marketing
of breast milk substitutes policy development, the Framework Agreement on
Smoking Cessation and the WHO International Health Regulations.
WHO
constitution, core functions, and proposed reforms
The work of
WHO is defined in its Constitution, which divides WHO's main tasks into three
categories: (1) normative tasks, including international conventions and
agreements, regulations, and non-binding standards and recommendations; (2)
lead and coordinate activities, including health coverage for all, poverty and
health, and essential drugs and special diseases; (3) scientific and technical
cooperation including eradication of diseases and During the past fifty years
or so, the WHO has undergone several changes to prioritize different aspects of
these categories, and its effectiveness has been analyzed and criticized. For
example, in one of the most comprehensive analyses. Fiona Godlee of the WHO
criticizes WHO's governance, efficiency, policy choices, headquarters-regional
negotiations and power struggles, and its poor performance in a series of
articles published in the British Medical Journal in the mid-1990s. About the
same time A self-study commissioned by WHO analysed the effectiveness of the
agency in carrying out its core tasks and recommended reforms, which focused
mainly on strengthening its technical capacity and global health and
coordination functions. In 1996-1997, the WHO Executive Board held 6- any
Special Sessions to revise the Constitution and recommended that WHO's core
functions be rewritten to emphasize coordination, development of health
policies, norms and standards, health promotion for some, and counseling and
technical cooperation. In the late 1990s, a group by international health professionals.
scientists and specialists gathered. Project "Improving the Performance of
International Health Organizations" in Pocantico, New York, which examines
whether
The
institutional structure of international health was adequate for global health
dependency in the 21st century. The Pocantico report pointed out that "the
importance of WHO was seen above all because of its global normative functions,
which must be strengthened and modernized", that "the emphasis on
technical assistance often came at the expense of a normative role", that
"KIIU should be the 'normative conscience' of world health" and that
"Everyone should take the lead in increasing the consistency and equality
of the system. The global, especially normative, tasks of WHO were clearly
emphasized. This perspective was repeated in an article by Jamison, Frenk and
Knaul, who argued that WHO has two distinct types of mandate: core (including
global standardization work) and supplementary (including technical
cooperation). Although demand for both types has increased, most new global
health workers focus primarily on operational functions, creating an even
greater need for WHO's global core functions.
The role of WHO in
public health
1. providing
leadership on matters critical to health and engaging in partnerships where
joint action is needed;
2. shaping the
research agenda and stimulating the generation, translation and dissemination
of valuable knowledge;
3. setting
norms and standards and promoting and monitoring their implementation;
articulating ethical and evidence-based policy options;
4. providing
technical support, catalysing change, and building sustainable institutional
capacity; and
5. monitoring
the health situation and assessing health trends.
Decisions about the
future of WHO work’s
Governments
met in Geneva in May 2009 to decide on WHO's future budget at the Third World
Health Assembly, with Margaret Chan as Director-General. Their decisions have a
major impact on the future of the organization. It was an opportunity to
prioritize key activities: to decide whether WHO should scale back its global
standardization work in order to increase action on the ground. In the coming
years, the WHO will be under pressure due to budgetary changes. Concerns about
future budgetary implications for many global efforts in advocacy,
surveillance, standards, disease classification and listing, and management
research are high. In 2007, Margaret Chan outlined WHO's key roles as a leader
in critical health issues; preparation of a research plan; establishing norms
and standards and monitoring their compliance; introducing ethical and
evidence-based options for action; providing technical support and building
institutional capacity and monitoring and evaluating health trends. He
recommended focusing on these core areas as the best way to coordinate with key
players in global health. The medium-term Strategic Plan (2008-2013) provides a
title for these goals and their financing. According to reports over the past
two years, spending has shifted between WHO's three core functions, with more
resources allocated to work in countries and regions.20 More attention must be
paid to building capacity and leadership at country and regional levels. levels
to ensure. increases transparency, accountability and more efficient use of
resources.
Conclusion
The World
Health Organisation (WHO) is a United Nations specialised body that
investigates public health issues. It’s headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland,
and was founded on April 7, 1948. The WHO is led by its Director-General. The
WHO now has 194 member nations. The only way to become a full member of the WHO
is to approve the treaty known as the World Health Organisation’s Constitution.
The goal of WHO, according to its constitution, is for “all people to achieve
the best attainable level of health.”