The World Health Organization - An overview

The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized institution of the United Nations that was founded on April 7, 1948. This organization works in the field of health. It aims to provide proper health care facilities for the people of the world at all possible levels. Its Aim is established in Article 1 of its Constitution.

The WHO defines health as not just the absence of illnesses but as a state of complete physical and mental well-being. It also states that mental and social well-being and does not consist only of the absence of disease or infirmity. The world Parliament of Health is made up of the 193 Member States of the WHO and formulates the rules of the Organization.

In this paper, we study the influence of the main trends of the WHO on the health policies in France and the stakes of the WHO in the 21st century.

The 23 vital functions of WHO are clearly defined.
The Constitution of the WHO was adopted at the International Conference on Health that was held in New York between 16 and 22 July in 1996. This lists the functions of the WHO and states its goal i.e."is the attainment by all people of the highest possible level of health"

Tags - WHO, health, disease, United Nations