World Health Organization (WHO) is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system. It is accountable for delivering leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and ideals, providing technical support to countries, and monitoring and assessing health trends.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, it has six regional offices and 150 field offices across the world.

WHO's scope of work includes:

Working worldwide to promote health. They respond to health crises around the world for instance the covid 19 pandemic.

Keeping the world safe. They engage in research and investigation of deadly diseases and find ways to curb and mitigate them.

Serving the vulnerable.
The most vulnerable in the societies like the poor, women, children and the elderly. It advocates that a billion more people should have: universal health care coverage, engagement with the monitoring of public health risks, coordinating responses to health emergencies, and promoting health and well-being. It provides technical assistance to countries, sets international health standards, and collects data on global health issues.

Across its 194 Member States across 6 regions and on the ground in 150+ locations, the WHO team works to improve everyone’s ability to enjoy good health and well-being.
The organization has set up rapid response teams who are well-equipped and prepared to respond appropriately when needed.

The organization works with partners like ministries of health of individual countries and with other UN agencies like World Food Program to help countries prepare, recognizing that the response to this pandemic does not lie in the actions of the health sector only.

WFP for example educates and provides immediate and long-term food relief to affected people. The knowledge of the importance of a balanced diet and how to grow and sustain themselves nutritiously help promote good health.

It works together with other organizations and governments, for example, UNICEF will help in risk communication and community engagement so that people get the information that they need. Then WHO follows up on what people are receiving to make sure they take the correct measures to protect themselves. Mental health plays a key role in the welfare of the people, it acts as a gear in the right . The only information taken in shapes one's mental health.

Roles of World health organization

1Promoting development

During the past decade, health has achieved outstanding importance as a key driver of socioeconomic progress, and more resources than ever are being invested in health.

Health is the needed human resource that directly influences poverty levels in a society. Poor health anchors large populations in poverty. Health development is directed by the moral doctrine of equity which is met by the role of the organization in providing services to the most underprivileged individuals.

2Fostering health protection

Shared susceptability to health security threats demands collective action. One of the greatest threats to international health security arises from outbreaks of emerging infections like deadly cancer and pandemics like covid 19 diseases.

Such outbreaks are occurring in increasing numbers, fuelled by such factors as rapid urbanization, climate change, the way food is produced and trends like genetically modified organisms, and the way antibiotics are used, abused, and misused. All these compounded by poor eating habits and lack of exercise lead to weak immune systems making them prone to infections.

3Improving health systems

Health services must reach poor and underserved populations. Strong and healthy people mean an improved living standard. Health systems in many parts of the world are unable to do so to meet the needs of the people, strengthening health systems is a high priority for WHO.

Areas being addressed include the provision of adequate numbers of appropriately trained staff, enough resources to fund their projects, suitable systems for collecting essential statistics that will in turn help with proper planning and availability and access to technological advancement in the medical field including training of medical staff in the latest and most relevant means to respond to patients.

4Enhancing partnerships

WHO carries out its work with the support and collaboration of many partners, including UN agencies and other international organizations, donors, civil society, and governments around the world to fulfill its mandate.

WHO uses the strategic power of evidence to encourage partners to implement programs within countries to align their activities with the best technical guidelines and practices, as well as with the priorities established by countries. The evidence of existing pandemics and medical crisis is reason enough for other partners to chip in and provide a helping hand where possible.

5Improving performance

WHO participates in ongoing reforms sought at improving its efficiency and effectiveness, both at the international level and within countries. The collection of statistical data to be able to have a more processed picture of the situation at the ground level. WHO aims to ensure that its strongest asset comprising of the people, works in an environment that is motivating and rewarding.

Motivation to do good work is all the magic needed to achieve all the goals of the organization. WHO plans its budget and activities through results-based management, with clear expected results to measure performance at country, regional and international levels. These paint a clear picture of areas that need improvement and therefore a clear path chanted.

Objectives of the organization

• Providing leadership on matters critical to the health and engaging in partnerships where joint action is needed. Case of the outbreak of the pandemic that shook the globe, it took the mantel and rolled out guidelines that helped mitigate the spread and the severity of the virus. The well-knowledgeable technical teachers of experienced doctors and research scientists were able to shine more light on the nature of the virus.

• Shaping the research agenda and stimulating the generation, translation, and dissemination of valuable knowledge. The team of researchers and experienced individuals is an asset whose main job is to inform and guide the public.

For example, findings such as the estimate that 12.6 million people died as a result of living or working in an unhealthy environment in 2012 accounting for nearly 1 in 4 of total global deaths, leads to the realization that environmental risk factors, such as air, water, and soil pollution, chemical exposures, climate change, and ultraviolet, contribute to more than 100 diseases and injuries. This can result in several pollution-related diseases.

• Setting standards and facilitating and monitoring their implementation. For instance, during the covid 19 pandemic, it urged the government to implement lockdown measures and the vaccination of its people.

• Providing technical support, catalyzing change, and building endurable institutional capacity. The organization is known for spearheading the construction of hospitals and schools and advocating for governments to allocate more resources to the development of health sectors across different countries.

The WHO relies on contributions from member states both assessed and uncoerced and private donors for funding. Its total approved budget for 2020–2021 is over $7.2 billion, of which the majority comes from voluntary contributions from member states.

The presence and involvement of other stakeholders in the health sector like nongovernmental organizations and individuals have boosted the objectives of the world health organization. The efforts together with that from individual governments have led to a considerable improvement in overall world health.