WHO

The World Health Organisation (WHO) is the world’s top source of scientific and technical knowledge on health, with some impressive achievements under its belt.

It enjoys a top-notch reputation for objective, evidence-based information.

But it also faces significant hurdles to stay a strong and effective organisation that can lead the way in addressing the major health challenges facing the world’s poor.

A world leader

The WHO, set up as the United Nations’ specialist health agency in 1948, is considered by many as an international leader in health. It led the global eradication of smallpox and has overseen steps towards eradicating polio and leprosy. Today the fight against malaria, cholera, TB and HIV is high on its agenda.

The WHO is widely perceived as independent and honest, and is valued for its strong humanitarian values. WHO director generals have not usually been written off as political playthings.

At its best, the organisation has spoken up for the poor, people living with HIV, people living with mental illness and other groups who often face discrimination. As part of the UN family it has particular leadership on efforts to meet the health-related Millennium Development Goals.

Challenges facing the WHO

Although the WHO enjoys worldwide respect, it is besieged by budget cuts and its influence has waned. Recent decades have seen market-driven solutions and technological approaches take centre stage, sidelining some of WHO’s core values.

Often these new approaches have been driven by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

The WHO has also faced charges of being too close to private commercial interests along with allegations of poor management and low staff morale.

The radical spirit that characterised many of the WHO’s greater moments has been gradually eroded. But the organisation is down, not out, and developing countries would certainly like to see it shaping a new bolder role to protect their interests.

Our view:

With progress towards the health Millennium Development Goals way off target, the scale of the global health challenge cries out for a return to the comprehensive human rights-based approach to health agreed at Alma Ata in 1978.

This means going beyond supplying people with drugs, vaccines and technology, to address the many social, economic and environmental determinants of health, in a comprehensive and integrated way. To play a key role in this the WHO must:

  • develop a stronger analysis of how economic and financial policies impact on health, so it can challenge the far-reaching decisions made by global financial institutions and international companies
  • be prepared to champion the interests of poor and marginalised people more strongly
  • be better at bringing together and coordinating the bewildering number of international and bilateral agencies, organisations and coordinating bodies involved in health
  • beef up its role in supporting developing countries to decide what aid they wish to receive and how best to use it.

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Last modified: 12/01/2011