Frequently asked questions - WHO | World Health Organization

Frequently asked questions · What is the World Health Organization? · What does WHO do? · How is WHO funded? · How can I support the work of WHO? · Is WHO a ... Home/ AboutWHO/ Frequentlyaskedquestions Frequentlyaskedquestions WhatistheWorldHealthOrganization?Foundedin1948,theWorldHealthOrganization(WHO)istheUnitedNationsagencydedicatedtoglobalhealthandsafety.TheOrganizationconnectsnations,partnersandcommunitiestopromotehealthandservethevulnerable.WHOworkswithitsMember Statestoachievethehighestlevelofhealthforallpeoplebypursuinguniversalhealthcoverage.StructureandgovernanceHistoryWHOheadquartersarelocatedinGeneva,Switzerland.WHOisgovernedby194MemberStatesgroupedinto6regions.Eachregionisrepresentedbyaregionaloffice,whichcoordinatesprogrammingincountryofficesandfieldoffices.TheWHOregionsare:AfricanRegionRegionoftheAmericas/PanAmericanHealthOrganizationEasternMediterraneanRegionEuropeanRegionSouth-EastAsiaRegionWesternPacificRegion WhatdoesWHOdo?WHOworksgloballytopromotehealth,expanduniversalhealthcoverageandrespondtoemergencies.TheThirteenthGeneralProgrammeofWork2019–2023aimstoachievetheTripleBilliontargets:Onebillionmorepeoplearebenefitingfromuniversalhealthcoverage.Onebillionmorepeoplearebetterprotectedfromhealthemergencies.Onebillionmorepeopleareenjoyingbetterhealthandwell-being.Toachievethesetargets,WHOfocusesonprimaryhealthcareineverycountrytoimproveaccesstoqualityessentialservices.Thisincludestrainingthehealthworkforce,supportingpolicydevelopmentandworkingtowardssustainablefinancingforhealth systems.WHOalsorespondstoemergenciesincludingnaturaldisasters,conflictsanddisplacedpopulations.Actinginacoordinatingleadershiprole,WHOprovidesmedicalsuppliesandequipment,doctorsandothermedicalprofessionals,andsupportforlocalgovernments. MoreaboutWHO’sworkTripleBilliontargetsWHO’sresponsetoglobalhealthemergencies HowisWHOfunded?  WHOreceivesfundingthroughmembershipduespaidbyMemberStatesandvoluntarycontributionsfromMemberStatesandotherpartners.Calculatedasapercentageofeachcountry’sgrossdomesticproduct,membershipduesareassessedevery2years attheWorldHealthAssembly.Lessthan20%ofWHO’stotalbudgetcomesfrommembershipdues,whiletheremaindercomesfromvoluntarycontributions,largelyfromMemberStatesaswellasfromotherUnitedNationsorganizations,intergovernmental organizations,philanthropicfoundations,theprivatesectorandothersources.FundingandMemberStatecontributions HowcanIsupporttheworkofWHO?WHO’sworkinpublichealthreliesonthecontributionsandcollaborationofmanygroupsandindividualsaroundtheworldincludinggovernments,donors,scientists,experts,implementingpartnersandadvocates.Individualsandcorporatepartnerscanmakefinancialcontributionsorin-kinddonationsorexpertisetosupportourworkthroughtheindependentWHOFoundation.IndividualscanalsoassistWHObycontributingexpertisetoourworkforcethroughourcareerssection,participatinginexpertgroups,aswellassupportingourhealthguidanceandmessagesinyourhealthworkandthroughdiscussionsonsocialmedia.  DonatetoWHO'sCOVID-19SolidarityResponseFundWHOFoundationCareersatWHOExpertgroups IsWHOareligiousorganization?  WHOisnotareligiousorganizationandisnotaffiliatedwithanyspecificspiritualbelief.TheOrganizationcelebratesthediversityoffaithsaroundtheworldasreflectedbyitsMemberStates. IsWHOanon-governmentalorganization(NGO)?WHOisaninternationalorganizationcomposedofagroupofMemberStates,andsoitisnotanNGO.EachMemberStatehasavoiceindeterminingthedirectionandtargetsoftheOrganization.WHOworkswith manylocalandinternationalNGOs,aswellasgovernmentsandotherpartners,toachieveitsgoals. WhatistheWHOdefinitionofhealth?ThepreambletoWHO’sconstitutionprovidesadefinitionofhealth:“Healthisastateofcompletephysical,mentalandsocialwell-beingandnotmerelytheabsenceofdiseaseorinfirmity.”AboutWHO’sconstitution WherecanIfindcareerandinternshipopportunitiesatWHO?TheWHOcareerssectionprovidesinformationaboutworkingatWHO,includingtypesofrecruitmentcontractsandinternshipopportunities.Currentpositionsarepostedtothejobboard,whereyoucancreateapersonalprofileandsubmitanapplication. Informationoninternshipsisalsoavailableinourcareerssectionundertheinternshipprogramme.CareersatWHOInternshipsatWHO HowdoIsellmyproductsorservicestoWHO?ProcurementofgoodsandservicesisacriticalpartofWHO’smandatetodirectandcoordinateinternationalhealthwork.Allprocurementactivitiesaresubjecttoourguidingprinciples,whichfocusonfairness,integrity,transparencyandequal treatment. ProcurementatWHO CanIlinktotheWHOwebsitefrommywebsite?HowdoIrequestalinkfromtheWHOwebsitetomysite?AnyexternalwebsitemayaddahyperlinktotheWHOwebsitewithoutrequestingpermission.However,thisusemustnotinfringeWHO'sintellectualpropertyrights,inparticularrelatingtoitsname,emblem,copyrightorauthors'rights.WHOdoesnotnormally providelinkstoexternalwebsitesunlessthereisaclearassociationwithWHO'sactivities. WherecanIfindWHOpublications?VisitourpublicationspageforthelatestWHOpublications,journals,seriesandguidelines. WHOalsomaintainsarepositoryofallofficialpublications.Aseparatehubforpublicationsspecifictocoronavirusdisease(COVID-19)isalsoavailable.  PublicationsCOVID-19publicationsInstitutionalRepositoryforInformationSharing(IRIS) DoesWHOofferscholarshipsorgrants?WhileWHOdoesnothaveascholarshiporgrantprogramme,certainWHOprogrammesanddepartmentsdofundresearch.Inaddition,someWHOregionalofficesofferfellowshipandscholarshipopportunitiesincooperationwithlocalministriesofhealth.  WHOprogrammesmayalsoprovidefundingforWHOcollaboratingcentres.GrantsforresearchondiseasesofpovertyWHOregionalofficesWHOcollaboratingcentres HowcanIfindinformationaboutaspecifictopic?TheWHOwebsitefeaturesseveralhubsthatcanbeusedtofindinformationbyhealthtopic,country,yearortype.Theseareusefulplacestostartresearchinganareaofinterest:HealthtopicsPublicationsNewsFactsheetsMultimediaQuestionsandanswers Youmayalsowanttofindinformationby:TeamsExpertgroupsInitiativesCountries Whyarecountriesreferredtothewaytheyare?TheofficialnamesofWHOMemberStatesandtheirsequenceinalphabeticallistsproducedbyWHOarebasedonthenamesreceivedfromtheMemberStatesandtheUnitedNations.SomeMemberStatesarereferredtousingalong-formnameforofficialuses andashorterversionformoreroutinedescriptions.Countries WhydosomeWHOmapshavedottedborders?DottedlinesonmapsproducedbyWHOrepresentapproximateborderlinesforwhichtheremaynotyetbefullagreement.Theboundaries,namesanddesignationsusedonmapsdonotimplytheexpressionofanyopinionwhatsoeveronthepartofWHOconcerning thelegalstatusofanycountry,territory,cityorarea,ofitsauthorities,orconcerningthedelimitationofitsfrontiersorboundaries. Iamtravellingabroadsoon.WherecanIfindinformationandadviceonhealthrisks?Thelatestinformationoninternationaltravel,includingcurrentrecommendationsontravellingduringtheCOVID-19pandemic,isavailableonthetraveladvicepage.WHOhaspreparedaneBookonwaystostayhealthywhiletravellinginternationally.Itincludesguidanceonthemedicalrisksoftravelling,vaccines,itemstotakewithyouandmore.WHOrecommendsconsultingatravelmedicineclinicormedicalpractitionerbeforetravellinginternationally.Travellersarealsoencouragedtoreviewactivetraveladvisoriesforyourdestinationcountry,whichareoftenavailablefromthegovernment ofyourhomecountry.TraveladviceInternationaltravelandhealth(eBook) HaveIreceivedascamemail?ScamemailsmadetolookliketheyarefromorassociatedwiththeWorldHealthOrganizationhavebeencirculatingontheinternet.Theseemailsmayrequestinformationormoneyfromindividuals,businessesornon-profitorganizationswiththepromise thattheywillreceivefundsorotherbenefitsinreturn.TheseemailssometimescarrytheWHOlogoandcomefromormentionanemailaddressmadetolooklikeaWHOorUnitedNationsaddress.TheseemailsarenotsentfromWHOorassociatedwithWHOprojectsorevents.Moreinformationisavailableonourcybersecuritypage.Ifyouhaveanydoubtsabouttheauthenticityofanemail,letterorphonecallthatsuggeststhatitisfromorconnectedwithWHO,pleasereportthemisinformationonlineorcontactus.CybersecurityReportmisinformationonlineContactWHO