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| Sunday, 3 April 2005 |
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Junior Observer |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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World Health Day falls on April 7 : WHO monitors world health
Every year various programmes are carried out throughout the world to observe this day. When we discuss the world's health the first thing that comes to our mind is the World Health Organization. In simple words, the World Health Organization (WHO) is the United Nations' specialised agency for health. Established on April 7, 1948, WHO is the co-ordinating authority on international health work; its aim is to promote the attainment of the highest possible level of health by all peoples. Health is defined in WHO's Constitution as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. The World Health Assembly is the supreme decision-making body for WHO. It generally meets in Geneva in May each year, and is attended by delegations from all 192 Member States. Its main function is to determine the policies of the Organization. The Health Assembly appoints the Director-General, supervises the financial policies of the Organization, and reviews and approves the proposed programme budget.
Similarly it considers reports of the Executive Board, which it instructs in regard to matters upon which further action, study, investigation or report may be required. The Executive Board is composed of 32 members technically qualified in the field of health. Members are elected for three-year terms. The main Board meeting is held in January. During the meeting, the agenda for the forthcoming Health Assembly is agreed upon and resolutions for forwarding to the Health Assembly are adopted. A second shorter meeting is held in May, immediately after the Health Assembly, for more administrative matters. The main functions of the Board are to give effect to the decisions and policies of the Health Assembly, advise it and generally facilitate its work. The Secretariat of WHO is staffed by some 3500 health and other experts and support staff, working at headquarters, in the six regional offices, and in countries. The Organization is headed by the Director-General, who is appointed by the Health Assembly on the nomination of the Executive Board. The current Director-General is Lee Jong-wook. The Civil Society Initiative (CSI) fosters relations between WHO and nongovernmental and civil society organizations. The CSI is responsible for the administration of formal relations as set out in the Principles governing relations between WHO and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The objectives of WHO's relations with NGOs are to promote the policies, strategies and activities of WHO and, where appropriate, to collaborate with NGOs in jointly agreed activities to implement them.
WHO may also seek to harmonise intersectoral interests among various sectoral bodies concerned in a country, regional or global setting. All countries which are Members of the United Nations may become members of WHO by accepting its Constitution. Other countries may be admitted as members when their application has been approved by a simple majority vote of the World Health Assembly. Territories which are not responsible for the conduct of their international relations may be admitted as Associate Members upon application made on their behalf by the Member or other authority responsible for their international relations. Members of WHO are grouped according to regional distribution (192
Member States).
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