World Health Organization

Overview

The World Health Organization (WHO) is the specialized agency of the United Nations founded in 1948, with its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. As the world's leading directing and coordinating authority on international public health, the organization employs over 9,400 people and works with 194 member states in more than 150 country offices. Under the leadership of Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO aims to achieve the highest possible level of health for all people and promote health equity. The WHO's range of services includes defining global evidence-based norms, guidelines, and classifications such as ICD-11, as well as global emergency management under the WHO Health Emergencies Programme and GOARN. Through initiatives like the Global Health Observatory (GHO) and the WHO Data Platform, the organization provides comprehensive global health statistics. Additionally, the OpenWHO platform offers multilingual, interactive training for professionals in health crises. The organization operates under legally binding international frameworks such as the International Health Regulations (IHR) and directs global programs against infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, and pandemic threats.