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Institution

World Health Organization

Also Known As WHO
United Nations Health Agencies
Globe with Olive Branches

The specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health, founded in 1948 and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. Its constitution defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing, and its work spans disease surveillance, outbreak response, health system strengthening and the setting of global health norms across six regional offices.

Facts
Founding Year
1948 1
Founding DateSourced to the subject's own account
1948-04-07 2
Headquarters
Geneva, Switzerland 3
Classification
Kind
International Organization 1
Connections

Associated With

African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control, Public Health Programs

WHO-led onchocerciasis elimination program, successor to the WHO Onchocerciasis Control Programme

Alma Ata Declaration, Milestones

the 1978 International Conference on Primary Health Care at Alma-Ata was convened and organized under WHO auspices; Halfdan Mahler, credited with the Declaration, was WHO Director-General at the time

Brock Chisholm, Figures

Brock Chisholm was the first Director-General of the World Health Organization, 1948-1953.

DOTS Strategy for Tuberculosis Control, Public Health Programs
Source Wikipedia: Directly Observed Treatment, Short-Course (DOTS)Wikipedia contributors
Ending Cholera: A Global Roadmap to 2030, Public Health Programs

GTFCC secretariat hosted by WHO's Global Cholera Programme.

Source WHO South-East Asia: Ending Cholera Roadmap 2030 Implementation Page
Every Woman Every Child, Public Health Programs

Implementation lead per the Global Strategy for Women's and Children's Health.

Source Wikipedia: Global Strategy for Women's and Children's Health
First Malaria Vaccine Recommendation, Milestones
Source World Health Organization Official Site
Food Fortification, Practices

The World Health Organization recommends large scale food fortification as an evidence informed and cost effective intervention against vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

Source World Health Organization Official Site
Founding of the World Health Organization, Milestones
Source World Health Organization Official Site
Global Elimination of Trachoma by 2020, Public Health Programs

WHO-led global trachoma elimination strategy

Global Malaria Eradication Programme, Public Health Programs
Source Wikipedia: Global Malaria Eradication ProgrammeWikipedia contributors
Global Polio Eradication Initiative, Public Health Programs
Source Wikipedia: Global Polio Eradication InitiativeWikipedia contributors
Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis, Public Health Programs
Source Wikipedia: Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic FilariasisWikipedia contributors
Gro Harlem Brundtland, Figures

Gro Harlem Brundtland served as Director-General of the World Health Organization from 1998 to 2003.

Guinea Worm Eradication Program, Public Health Programs
Source Wikipedia: Guinea Worm Eradication ProgramWikipedia contributors
Health Promotion, Branches

The World Health Organization convened the first International Conference on Health Promotion at Ottawa in 1986 and carries the Charter and the conference series.

Source World Health Organization Official Site
Indonesia National Tuberculosis Control Programme, Public Health Programs

WHO supported the 2025 drafting of Indonesia's National Strategic Plan for Tuberculosis 2026-2030.

Source WHO Indonesia: Building Indonesia's Tuberculosis Strategy with Evidence and Partnership
Insecticide Treated Nets, Practices

The World Health Organization names insecticide treated nets as one of the two core vector control interventions in its malaria control and elimination strategies.

Source World Health Organization Official Site
Integrated Management of Childhood Illness, Public Health Programs
Source Wikipedia: Integrated Management of Childhood IllnessWikipedia contributors
Kangaroo Mother Care, Practices

The World Health Organization publishes and promotes the global kangaroo mother care implementation guidance.

Measles & Rubella Partnership, Public Health Programs
Source Wikipedia: Measles & Rubella PartnershipWikipedia contributors
MPOWER Launch, Milestones
Source World Health Organization Official Site
North Karelia Project, Public Health Programs
Source Wikipedia: North Karelia ProjectWikipedia contributors
Onchocerciasis Control Programme, Public Health Programs
Source Wikipedia: Onchocerciasis Control ProgrammeWikipedia contributors
One Health, Concepts

The World Health Organization is one of the three lead agencies, with FAO and WOAH, of the formal One Health tripartite approach (FAO and WOAH are not yet live Health institution entities).

Oral Rehydration Therapy, Practices

The World Health Organization adopted the therapy in 1978 as its primary means of fighting diarrheal disease.

Source Encyclopedia Britannica
Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, Milestones
Source World Health Organization Official Site
Physical Activity Guidelines, Practices

The World Health Organization issues the global guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour for every age group.

Source World Health Organization Official Site
Public Health Emergency Preparedness, Branches
Source Wikipedia: Health Emergencies Programme
Pulse Polio Programme, Public Health Programs
Source Wikipedia: Pulse PolioWikipedia contributors
Roll Back Malaria Partnership, Public Health Programs

malaria partnership founded 1998 and hosted at WHO until 2015

Safe Motherhood Initiative, Public Health Programs
Source Wikipedia: Safe Motherhood InitiativeWikipedia contributors
Smallpox Eradication Programme, Public Health Programs

WHO global smallpox eradication programme

WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, Milestones
Source World Health Organization Official Site
WHO Global Leprosy Strategy, Public Health Programs

WHO's own global leprosy strategy

WHO Regional Office for Europe, Institutions
Source WHO: About WHO Europe
Yaws Eradication Programme, Public Health Programs

WHO-led yaws eradication programme

Zero by 30: Global Strategic Plan to End Human Deaths from Dog-Mediated Rabies, Public Health Programs

tripartite rabies elimination plan, WHO among its co-leading agencies

Concepts and Practices Developed

Expanded Programme on Immunization, Practices
Source Wikipedia: Expanded Programme on Immunization

In Branch

Health Systems and Policy, Branches
Source World Health Organization Official Site

Milestones Credited

Founding of the World Health Organization, Milestones
Source Constitution of the World Health Organization
Launch of the Global Burden of Disease Study, Milestones
Source Wikipedia: Global Burden of Disease Study
Rio Political Declaration on Social Determinants of Health, Milestones
Source WHO: Rio Political Declaration on Social Determinants of Health
Smallpox Eradication, Milestones
Source World Health Organization Official Site
In the Other Atlases

Found In

Switzerland

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Sources
1. Constitution of the World Health Organization
World Health Organization, 1948
  • Program classification, entity description sentence
    The specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health, founded in 1948 and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
  • Milestones Credited: Founding of the World Health Organization
View the Source
2. Wikipedia: World Health Organization
WikipediaHistory section
Quote, History section
Its constitution formally came into force on the first World Health Day on 7 April 1948, when it was ratified by the 26th member state.
View the Source
3. World Health Organization Official Site
World Health Organization
  • Associated With: Health Promotion, Ottawa Charter, first global conference on health promotion
    The first International Conference on Health Promotion, meeting in Ottawa this 21st day of November 1986, hereby presents this CHARTER for action to achieve Health for All by the year 2000 and beyond.
  • Associated With: Insecticide Treated Nets, Malaria fact sheet
    Vector control is a vital component of malaria control and elimination strategies as it is highly effective in preventing infection and reducing disease transmission.
  • Associated With: Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, Ottawa Charter, first global conference on health promotion
  • Associated With: WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, Tobacco fact sheet
  • Associated With: First Malaria Vaccine Recommendation, Malaria fact sheet
  • Associated With: MPOWER Launch, Tobacco fact sheet
  • Associated With: Physical Activity Guidelines, Physical activity fact sheet
    The WHO Global guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour provide recommendations for children (age 5 and up), adolescents, adults, older adults, pregnant and post-partum women, and people living with chronic conditions and disabilities.
  • Associated With: Food Fortification, Food fortification topic
    The World Health Organization recommends large scale food fortification as a powerful evidence-informed and cost-effective intervention to fight vitamin and mineral deficiencies, including iodine deficiency disorders, anaemia and iron deficiency
View the Source
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.Associated With: Oral Rehydration Therapy, Oral rehydration therapy
Quote, Associated With: Oral Rehydration Therapy, Oral rehydration therapy
Since the World Health Organization began using ORT in 1978 as its primary means of fighting diarrhea, the annual death rate among children under 5 suffering from acute diarrhea has fallen from 5 million to fewer than 1 million.
View the Source
Wikipedia: Expanded Programme on Immunization
WikipediaConcepts and Practices Developed: Expanded Programme on ImmunizationView the Source
WHO: About WHO Europe
World Health OrganizationAssociated With: WHO Regional Office for Europe, Organization page
Quote, Associated With: WHO Regional Office for Europe, Organization page
The WHO Regional Office for Europe (WHO/Europe) is one of WHO's six regional offices around the world.
View the Source
Wikipedia: Global Burden of Disease Study
WikipediaMilestones Credited: Launch of the Global Burden of Disease Study, History sectionView the Source
WHO: Rio Political Declaration on Social Determinants of Health
World Health OrganizationMilestones Credited: Rio Political Declaration on Social Determinants of Health, Page textView the Source
Wikipedia: Health Emergencies Programme
WikipediaAssociated With: Public Health Emergency PreparednessView the Source
Wikipedia: Global Malaria Eradication Programme
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: Global Malaria Eradication Programme
Wikipedia: Global Polio Eradication Initiative
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: Global Polio Eradication Initiative
Wikipedia: Guinea Worm Eradication Program
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: Guinea Worm Eradication Program
Wikipedia: Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis
Wikipedia: Onchocerciasis Control Programme
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: Onchocerciasis Control Programme
Wikipedia: Measles & Rubella Partnership
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: Measles & Rubella Partnership
Wikipedia: Pulse Polio
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: Pulse Polio Programme
Wikipedia: Integrated Management of Childhood Illness
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: Integrated Management of Childhood Illness
Wikipedia: Safe Motherhood Initiative
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: Safe Motherhood Initiative
Wikipedia: Directly Observed Treatment, Short-Course (DOTS)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: DOTS Strategy for Tuberculosis Control
Wikipedia: North Karelia Project
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: North Karelia Project
Wikipedia: Global Strategy for Women's and Children's Health
WikipediaAssociated With: Every Woman Every Child, Implementation lead sentence
Quote, Associated With: Every Woman Every Child, Implementation lead sentence
The implementation of the program was led by the World Health Organization, reporting to the UN.
View the Source
WHO South-East Asia: Ending Cholera Roadmap 2030 Implementation Page
World Health OrganizationAssociated With: Ending Cholera: A Global Roadmap to 2030, GTFCC secretariat sentence
Quote, Associated With: Ending Cholera: A Global Roadmap to 2030, GTFCC secretariat sentence
The GTFCC is a partnership of more than 50 institutions with a secretariat hosted by the Global Cholera Programme of the WHO.
View the Source
WHO Indonesia: Building Indonesia's Tuberculosis Strategy with Evidence and Partnership
World Health OrganizationAssociated With: Indonesia National Tuberculosis Control Programme, Drafting process sentence
Quote, Associated With: Indonesia National Tuberculosis Control Programme, Drafting process sentence
From August to November 2025, WHO, the World Bank and other partners supported a structured, participatory drafting process.
View the Source
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