The World Health Organization

The World Health
Organization
Student’s Name
Overview of WHO
 The World Health Organization (WHO) is a special agency
of the United Nations that is mandated with dealing with
global health (About WHO, 2019).
 The agency was founded in 1948 as a member of the
United Nations development group and has its
headquarter in Geneva, Switzerland.
 The main goal of this organization is to direct and
coordinate other agencies at the global level in matters of
public health.
 WHO’s primary mission is to improve living conditions for
all people, eliminate suffering for people already infected
and affected, and provide affordable and access to quality
healthcare service for all people.
 WHO works as a collaborative agency with its member
states in researching the vulnerable areas, preparing
people in facing and handling disasters, and creating
awareness on better living standards. Some of the current
projects include access to clean water, mitigation of
climate change and drought, and elimination of poverty in
developing countries. The agency is also currently working
with scientists and researchers on developing cure for
terminal diseases like HIV/AIDS and cancer.
 WHO works as a global agency and has geographical
presence in one hundred and sixty countries in six regions
(Miranda, 2016)
Contribution to the Common Good
 WHO works as an advocate for change and creating awareness about
social ills and diseases.
 The organization joins hands with other agencies and entities in
creating awareness about non-communicable diseases such as obesity,
heart diseases, and other lifestyle diseases that can be controlled.
 During the World Health Day, the organization comes up with a new
theme highlighting issues affecting community in terms of health.
 To promote common good, WHO creates awareness and provide timely
intervention for people affected by diseases such as HIV/AIDS and
cancer. The image in the diagram below shows the organization
supporting the hashtag #beatNCDs.
 WHO works with the American Hearts Association to help people stay
physically fit to avoid non-communicable diseases. Parents are made
aware of how nutrition affects their health and that of their children
and how they can help change their diet.
 WHO has also contributed towards sustainable development by
working with research teams and supporting governmental
organizations that seek to eliminate poverty while at the same time
ensuring protection of natural resources. The goal is to combat climate
change through suitable environment-friendly programs (About WHO,
2019)
 WHO also publishes and disseminates messages about people living
with disabilities. The messages are shared over the organization’s social
media handles and its websites. Some of the posters talk about the
rights of people living with disabilities and how they can be integrated
into the whole society.
My Professional Contribution
 Nursing profession has a significant contribution to the WHO’s
projects. The nursing profession thrives on the principles of care
and empathy for suffering. This is in line with the mission of WHO
which is to eliminate diseases and improve the quality of life.
 Nurses are also directly involved in WHO’s agenda of sensitization
and creating awareness about health. This is in line with WHO’s
projects.
 According to Miranda (2016), WHO reported shortage of nurses
in 2016 and it has not resolved this problem. As a nurse, I will
work with the organization to fill the gap by caring for patients
and educating healthy individuals about how to stay physically fit.
 Nurses also play a significant role in mobilizing society about how
to stay healthy and physically fit. I will use my profession to
promote the organization’s goal of creating a health community
by educating people about risks associated with communicable
and non-communicable diseases.
 I am also a change agent in any position that I have served in the
past. I am a team worker and considering that WHO is an
international organization I will travel to other countries affected
by poverty and help people suffering and affected with diseases.
 I am an ardent supporter of sustainability programs. As a nurse, I
understand that we should not focus on treating diseases, but we
should also support environmental programs. I will use my
interactions with patients and communities to inform them their
role in environmental sustainability and how pollution of
environment contributes to diseases.
References
PAHO (2019). non-communicable diseases: communication and advocacy
materials. Retrieved from https://www.paho.org/hq/index.php?
option=com_topics&view=rdmore&cid=9306&item=non-
communicable-diseases&type=communication&lang=en
World Health Organization (2015). Moving the nursing agenda forward.
Retrieved from
https://www.who.int/hrh/news/2015/global_nurse_conf-kor/en
/
The World Health Organization (2019). About WHO. Retrieved from
https://www.who.int/about
Miranda, Y. (2016). WHO”s contribution to universal access to HIV/AIDS
prevention, care, and treatment. Retrieved from
https://www.who.int/hiv/universalaccess2010/UA2010_2may06
.pdf?ua=1
Introduction
Different countries are struggling with social ills and diseases
that affect the quality of life. Throughout history, different
nations are disadvantaged by natural calamities, infectious
diseases, poor health systems and networks, and shortage of
basic health resources and labour. The World Health
Organization (WHO) was created in 1948 with the
responsibility of handling such issues and helping developing
nations set up adequate healthcare systems with the goal of
combating diseases and improving the quality of life. This
poster provides an overview of WHO, how it contributes to the
common good of humanity in terms of health, and how my
profession as a nurse can of vital importance to WHO’s goals
and projects both locally and at the international level.
Source (PAHO, 2019)