Health Organisations

A. Organizational Profile:

• Established: April 7, 1948 (celebrated globally every year as World Health Day).
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
• Constitutional Objective: "The attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health."
• Regional Office for South-East Asia (SEARO): New Delhi, India.

B. Major Functions of WHO:

1. Infectious Disease Surveillance & Eradication: Coordinates global campaigns against deadly epidemics; led the historic global eradication of Smallpox (1980) and near-eradication of Polio; monitors malaria, tuberculosis, AIDS, and emergent viral pandemics (SARS, Ebola, COVID-19).
2. Setting Global Health & Drug Standards: Sets international purity standards for biological products and pharmaceuticals; publishes the *International Pharmacopoeia*; establishes food safety guidelines jointly with FAO (Codex Alimentarius).
3. Maternal and Child Health: Promotes programs ensuring safe pregnancy, infant nutrition, and reduction of infant mortality rates.
4. Medical Research & Training: Funds medical research institutes worldwide, promotes cancer and cardiovascular disease research, and organizes global health seminars.
5. Disaster Medical Relief: Rushes emergency medical supplies, mobile field hospitals, and epidemic containment teams to natural disaster zones.

A. Organizational Profile:

• Founder: Jean Henri Dunant (Swiss philanthropist, 1863; inspired by the Battle of Solferino).
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
• Emblem: A Red Cross on a white background (reversal of the Swiss flag; also uses the Red Crescent in Islamic nations and the Red Crystal).
• Fundamental Principles: Humanity, Impartiality, Neutrality, Independence, Voluntary Service, Unity, and Universality.

B. Key Humanitarian Functions:

• During Armed Conflict: Neutral, non-combatant medical aid to wounded soldiers and prisoners of war (POWs) from all warring nations without discrimination; visits POW camps and facilitates communication with families under the Geneva Conventions.
• During Peacetime & Natural Disasters: Rushes emergency food, blankets, medicine, and shelter to victims of earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, famines, and industrial disasters.
• Blood Transfusion Services: Operates the world\'s largest network of voluntary blood donation camps and blood banks.
• Community Health: Conducts first-aid training, ambulance transport services, and nursing education.

A. Profile & Mandate:

• Established: 1946 by the UN General Assembly (originally as United Nations International Children\'s Emergency Fund).
• Headquarters: New York, USA.
• Mandate: Dedicated to advocating for the protection of children\'s rights, survival, nutrition, safe drinking water, sanitation, and primary education worldwide.

B. The GOBI Strategy for Child Health:

UNICEF launched the revolutionary four-point GOBI campaign to slash child mortality in developing nations:

• G — Growth Monitoring: Regular weighing and recording on child growth charts to detect early malnutrition.
• O — Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORS): Using simple, inexpensive packets of salt and glucose to treat diarrhoeal dehydration (saving millions of children from cholera and dysentery).
• B — Breastfeeding: Promoting exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months to ensure maternal antibody protection (colostrum).
• I — Immunization: Universal childhood vaccination against the six major killer diseases (Tuberculosis, Polio, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Measles).