World Health Organization |
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WHO redirects here, but may also mean radio
station WHO-AM in
Des Moines, Iowa, USA.
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WHO headquarters in Geneva
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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.
The constitution of WHO defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and does not consist
only of the absence of disease or infirmity. WHO is a global organization that promotes this concept of health.
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.
Directors General of the WHO
See also:
Other Notable Persons Associated With the WHO
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