Much to the AAMC’s disappointment, the United States recently withdrew from the World Health Organization (WHO). But do you know much about this organization?
Founded in 1948, the WHO is part of the United Nations and is comprised of more than 7,000 people working in more than 150 countries. You likely know about the WHO’s work alongside governments and other collaborating organizations to administer vaccines and treat disease outbreaks. But you may not have known that the WHO also:
- Produces international reference materials, such as the International Classification of Diseases, which enables all countries to use a common standard for reporting diseases and identifying health trends, and the WHO Essential Medicines List, a guide for countries on the key medicines that a national health system needs;
- Runs a global surveillance system to track drug resistance, and is developing new antibiotics—and promoting their responsible use—to safeguard the world’s ability to treat infectious diseases;
- Works to combat the global rise in non-communicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease by promoting healthy eating, tobacco cessation, physical exercise and regular health checks; and
- Collects data from countries across the world through its Global Health Observatory, providing a global picture of who is falling sick, from which disease, and where, so that efforts can be targeted where they are needed most.
------------------------------
Ross McKinney, MD
Chief Scientific Officer
Association of American Medical Colleges
------------------------------