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Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the World Health Organization (WHO) is an agency of the United Nations, acting as a coordinating authority on international public health. WHO was established by the UN on April 7, 1948.
The constitution of WHO defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and does not consist only of the absence of disease or infirmity. WHO is a global organization that promotes this concept of health.
After years of fighting smallpox, WHO declared in 1979 that the disease had been eradicated. It is nearing success in developing vaccines against malaria and schistosomiasis and aims to eradicate polio within the next few years.
Other than actually curing already occurring diseases, the Organization also puts great effort into producing articles on the cause of diseases. In addition to their work in eradicating disease, the WHO also carries out campaigns for example, to boost consumption of vegetables worldwide, or adopting a negative stance towards tobacco and conducts research: for instance, into whether or not the electromagnetic field surrounding cell phones has a negative influence on health.
Members of the UN appoint delegations to the World Health Assembly, which votes for the WHO Director General. The current Director General is Jong-Wook LeeJong-Wook Lee of South Korea is the Director-General of the World Health Organization. He received the post on July 21, 2003; having previously served as the organization's tuberculosis program head. He succeeded Gro Harlem Brundtland of Norway. Quotes "I.
| Name | Country | Term of Office |
|---|---|---|
| Brock ChisholmGeorge Brock Chisholm ( May 18, 1896 February 4, 1971) was a Canadian World War I veteran, medical practitioner and the first Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO). He was a strong advocate of religious tolerance and often commented that | CanadaCanada historically the Dominion of Canada is the second-largest, and northernmost, country in the world. It is a decentralized federation of 10 provinces and 3 territories, governed as a constitutional monarchy, and formed in 1867 through an act of Confe | 1948 19531953 is a common year starting on Thursday (click on link for the calendar). Events January events January 7 President Harry S. Truman announces the United States has developed a hydrogen bomb. January 13 Marshal Josip Broz Tito chosen President of Yugosl |
| Marcolino Gomes Candau | BrazilThis article is about Brazil, the country. For other article subjects named Brazil see Brazil (disambiguation). The Federative Republic of Brazil Republica Federativa do Brasil in Portuguese) is the largest and most populous country in South America. | 19531953 is a common year starting on Thursday (click on link for the calendar). Events January events January 7 President Harry S. Truman announces the United States has developed a hydrogen bomb. January 13 Marshal Josip Broz Tito chosen President of Yugosl 1973Events January events January 1 United Kingdom, Ireland, and Denmark enter the European Economic Community now known as the European Union January 3 Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) sells the New York Yankees for $10 million to a 12-person syndicate led |
| Halfdan T. Mahler | Denmark | 1973 1988 |
| Hiroshi Nakajima | Japan | 1988 1998 |
| Gro Harlem Brundtland | Norway | 1998 2003 |
| Jong-Wook Lee | South Korea | 2003 |