WOLRD HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS N TERMS

World Health Organization (WHO)

Specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health and coordinating global health responses

Public health

The science and practice of protecting and improving the health of populations through prevention, education, and policy

Global health

Health issues that transcend national boundaries and require international cooperation to address

Health promotion

Process of enabling people to increase control over and improve their health through education and supportive policies

Disease prevention

Actions taken to reduce the occurrence or spread of disease, including vaccination and sanitation

Primary health care

Essential health services that are accessible, affordable, and community-based for all individuals

Universal Health Coverage (UHC)

Health system goal ensuring all people can access needed health services without financial hardship

Immunization programs

Public health initiatives that provide vaccines to prevent infectious diseases

Vaccination campaign

Organized effort to immunize large populations against specific diseases

Epidemic

Sudden increase in disease cases in a specific region or population

Pandemic

Global outbreak of a disease affecting multiple countries or continents

Endemic disease

A disease that is consistently present in a specific geographic area or population

Health education

Teaching individuals and communities about behaviors that improve health and prevent disease

Maternal and child health programs

Health initiatives focused on improving the health of mothers, infants, and children

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

United Nations global goals that include targets for health, well-being, and disease reduction

Global vaccination initiative

International efforts to increase vaccine access and coverage worldwide

Disease surveillance

Systematic monitoring of disease spread to detect outbreaks early and respond quickly

Outbreak response

Coordinated actions taken to control and contain sudden increases in disease cases

Health equity

Principle that everyone should have a fair opportunity to attain their highest level of health

United Nations (UN)

International organization that promotes peace, security, and cooperation among countries, including global health efforts

UNICEF

United Nations agency focused on children’s health, education, nutrition, and protection worldwide

UNAIDS

UN program that coordinates global efforts to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS

World Health Organization (WHO) outbreak response

Coordinated global action to detect, investigate, and control disease outbreaks

Global health governance

System of organizations and policies that manage international health issues and responses

Infectious disease control

Strategies used to prevent and reduce the spread of communicable diseases

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs)

Diseases not spread from person to person, such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease

Vaccination coverage

Percentage of a population that has received a specific vaccine

Herd immunity

Protection that occurs when a large portion of a population becomes immune to a disease, reducing its spread

Health systems strengthening

Efforts to improve healthcare infrastructure, workforce, funding, and service delivery

Essential medicines list (WHO)

List of medications considered safe, effective, and necessary for a functioning health system

Epidemiology

Study of how diseases spread, their causes, and patterns in populations

Contact tracing

Process of identifying and monitoring people who have been exposed to an infectious disease

Quarantine

Restriction of movement of individuals who may have been exposed to a contagious disease

Isolation

Separation of infected individuals from healthy populations to prevent disease spread

Sanitation programs

Public health efforts to improve hygiene, waste disposal, and clean water access

Clean water initiatives

Programs aimed at providing safe drinking water to reduce disease transmission

Global health emergency

Situation where a disease outbreak poses a serious risk to multiple countries and requires urgent response

Health inequality

Differences in health status or access to healthcare between different populations or regions

Preventive healthcare

Medical practices aimed at preventing disease rather than treating it after it occurs