World Health Organisation

When/where was WHO established?

• 1948

• Headquarters in Geneva.

What is WHO?

• Directing & co-ordinating authority on international health within UN.

• Works closely with other international organisations e.g. UNICEF, World Bank.

• Works with NGOs e.g. International Red Cross, Red Crescent Movement.

WHO has a wide-ranging brief. Which 6 factors does this include? (first 3)

1. Gathering health data

2. Leadership & Identifying priority areas in matters critical to health.

3. Researching health problems.

WHO has a wide-ranging brief. Which 6 factors does this include? (last 3)

4. Monitors international health situation.

5. Supports UN member states, devises health strategies.

6. Technical support during health crisis.

How many UN member states are there?

194

Where is the WHO data published?

World Health Statistics

What does the data provide for each country/member state?

• Insights into health risks

• Mortality from communicable & non-communicable diseases.

• Gov. spending on healthcare

However, what is an issue with WHO data?

• Quality + completeness of data varies.

• WHO received cause of mortality data from only 100 member states.

• Thus, globally, 2/3 of all deaths are not registered.

Examples of WHO research groups?

• Influenza

• Tropical diseases

• Mental health

• Vaccines

How do WHO research projects work?

• Often partnerships with other international agencies.

• E.g. Currently collaborates with ‘Stop TB’ multi-agency.

• Aims to eradicate TB by 2050.

Which diseases does WHO take a leading role in increasing awareness in?

• Epidemics & outbreaks of diseases e.g. Zika virus in 2016.

• Global strategies to combat HIV/AIDs, malaria & tuberculosis.

What does WHO target to do in relation to these diseases?

• Improve prevention, diagnosis, treatment & care.

• Promotes research into new drugs & insecticides.

• Predicts spread of diseases.

Example of why support programmes for member states are important for WHO?

• 2015: Nepal earthquake disaster.

• WHO delivered emergency health services - mobile medical units.

• Supported foreign medical teams.

Example of WHO’s work in Liberia?

• 2014-15: Liberia - Ebola epidemic caused total collapse of country’s health services.

• Left it unable to cope with serious outbreaks of measles.

• WHO, + UNICEF and US CDC, stepped in and organised a country-wide measles vaccination programme to control spread.

WHO’s role in Covid-19?

• Jan 2020: WHO picked up on reports abt outbreak of unknown viral pneumonia in Wuhan.

• 14 Jan: possibility of infectious disease involving human-to-human transmission was acknowledged.

• End of Jan: Cases reported from 1/2 a dozen other countries, each traceable to Wuhan.

• 11 March: Covid-19 declared global pandemic.

Before vaccines, how was covid-19 slowed?

• Combination of lockdowns & quarantine.

• Govs reacted with varying speeds & prepardeness.

Globally, who were the best prepared countries?

• Those who confronted previous coronavirus epidemics e.g. South Korea & Taiwan.

• Some ACs e.g. Europe/North America, underestimated & underfunded preparation.

How were the USA underprepared?

• Trump froze all funding of the WHO.

• Claimed it failed in its basic duty, and it was ‘too China-centric’ in its response.

• USA later appealed to WHO for an extra $1 billion to help fight covid.

Who was most affected by Covid?

• Poor people living in high density locations + those who also needed to work.

• Mortality rates varied greatly between countries & within them.

How were economic impacts significant?

Impacts at a global level probably unrivalled since the ‘Black Death’ of 1347-51.

Which countries were hit more severely?

• LIDCs & EDCs.

• Pressure on public health, high urban densities + poverty.

• Social distancing = impossible in slums with high density populations.

• + necessity to leave home to work for survival.

How many people globally live in these conditions?

• 1 in 7 people worldwide.

• Mainly (not exclusively) in LIDCs & EDCs