The World Health Organization; An Overview

An emblem belonging to the World Health Organization.

© Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images

The World Health Organization, (WHO), is a specialized unit of the United Nations responsible for international public health. In 1945, diplomats met to form the United Nations, and one of the first plans of action they discussed was the formation of a global health organization. WHO’s Constitution was established on April 7, 1948, which is now nationally celebrated as World Health Day. Throughout history, WHO has introduced organization-wide reforms to improve our global performance during health crisis, "March of 2017, in response to the ongoing yellow fever outbreak in Brazil, 3.5 million doses of vaccine from the emergency stockpile were deployed to the country through the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision for yellow fever.” The WHO also dispatched 30 million doses of yellow fever vaccine to Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola in 2016.

The World Health Organization is largely funded by its Member States (countries membership dues) and voluntary contributions from other Member States and partners like other United Nation organizations, intergovernmental organizations, philanthropic foundations, the private sector, and other sources. However, if you as a teen are interested in donating to the World Health Organization, you can use the link listed below that will directly take you to The WHO Foundation, which was launched on May 27, 2020 in order to facilitate contributions from the general public.

Between 2018 and 2019, the United States, United Kingdom and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation were the top 3 donors that contributed to the funding of the World Health Organization. The World Health Organization has been at work with a financial campaign that has developed its first ever investment case with an ask of 14.14 billion U.S dollars for 2019- 2023. If WHO can obtain this amount of money, they will work to provide billions of people with universal health coverage and protect a billion more people from health emergencies. During this global pandemic, it is crucial to support the World Health Organization, so they can continue to help undeveloped countries and communities of people who don’t have access to healthcare, gain the medical attention they need.

How has WHO been involved with the COVID-19 relief efforts?

The World Health Organization has developed a Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan that is still in need of financial funds for it to work in full effect within countries. Leaders of the WHO have advised governments to encourage the general public to wear a fabric mask because masks are the most comprehensive tool in the approach of fighting this virus. The World Health Organization has not only provided research, situation updates and safety tips to the government, but it is all public on their website.

The World Health Organization plays a large role in distributing tools, medicine, and vaccines in response to health emergencies, but the United States President, Donald J. Trump, has yet to mention their contribution in the COVID-19 vaccine distributing process in America. President Trump has stated several times that the vaccine will be prepared and ready for general use at the beginning of November but has no scientists from the CDC or leaders of WHO that affirmed of this vaccine being ready that early. COVID –19 has been underestimated by countries across the world; including some of the most developed ones, like the United States, on the toll it has had on the economy, and the lives that are still being taken at a constant rate. Countries who work close with the World Health Organization will have a better chance at having a medical response that is extremely more efficient.

© GIPHY

What Can You Do?

Under our current circumstances, there are many ways we can stay involved in making the changes that we want to see. This pandemic has affected everyone, some worse than others. We must use our voices, our writing, our conversations and our media platforms to encourage our peers to research and practice the safety precautions needed to not only protect themselves, but to protect others.

You can donate to the World Health Organization, so that their response practice process can speed up and be implemented in countries that are in desperate need for supplies. I encourage you to email or write letters to local officials, promoting the idea of working together with the World Health Organization in order to lead to a promising future for our world.

We, the youth of today have the power to access data, statistics and research. Do not only consume yourself with the media’s perspective on what is going on in our world, seek information through researching and finding facts that will ultimately set you up for making the best decisions towards what needs to be taken place in order to see results.

The WHO Foundation Link:

• WHO Foundation – Welcome to the WHO Foundation

---

Source:

“Home.” Who.Int, 2018, www.who.int.