HEALTH AGENCIES

By
Dr. Varsha Sharma
 Health Agencies
I. International Health Agencies.
II. Voluntary Health Agencies in India

I .A. International Health Agencies under the United

Nations.
1. W.H.O.
2. UNICEF.
3. UNDP.
4. UNFPA.
5. FAO.
6. World Bank.
7. ILO.
 I.B. Bilateral Agencies:
1. USAID.
2. Colombo Plan.
3. Public Law Scheme.
I.C. Non-Governmental Agencies:
1. Ford Foundation.
2. Rockefeller Foundation.
3. CARE.
II. A. Voluntary Agencies involved with
Maternal & Child Health.
1. Indian Council of Child Welfare.
2. Family Planning Association of India.
3. Kasturba Memorial Fund.
II.B. Voluntary Agencies involved with the
Control of Specific Disease or
Problems.
1. TB Association of India.
2. Hind Kusht Nivaran Sangh.
3. Indian Cancer Society.
4. Indian Blind Relief Society.
II.C. Professional Bodies involved
Voluntary Health Work.
1. IDA.
2. IMA.
3. Trained Nurses Association.
II.D. Voluntary Agencies involved with
General Health Care .
1. The Red Cross Society of India.
2. The All India Women’s
Conference
3. The Central Social Welfare Board.
4. The Voluntary Health Association
of India.
 World Health Organization (WHO) :

 Non-Political & Specialized agency under

United Nations.

 Officially born on 7thApril 1948 by 61

governments.
 Memberships in WHO:

 Open to all countries.

 Territories as associate members.
 1948-56 members,
 1996-190 member states & two associate
members.
 Objective of WHO:

“The attainment by all peoples of the highest

level of health”.
 Work of WHO:

 Prevention & control of specific diseases.

* communicable diseases
* non communicable diseases ( CVS
problems, genetic disorders, mental
disorders)
 Development of comprehensive health services.
* devlopement of health systems, manpower
and its utilizations etc)
 Family health
* maternal and child health care , human
 Environmental health.
* Advices Govt on how to maintain
environmental health.( air , water
sanitation, food quality etc)
 Health statistics.
*helps in maintaining health statistics
 Bio-medical research.

* WHO it self does not do any research, but

stimulate and coordinate research work.
 Health literature & information.
* WHO libraries – we can get information.
( MEDLARS)
 Co-operation with other organizations. (UN)
 Structural Organization:
Consists of:
1. World Health Assembly (or Parliament).
2. The Executive Board (or Cabinet).
3. The Secretariat (or Civil Service).
1. World Health Assembly
(Health Parliament).

 It is the supreme governing body of the

Organization.
 Composed of members representing all
member states.
 Meets annually, usually in May, generally
at the Head Quarters in Geneva.
 Functions:

 To determine International Health Policy &

Programmes.
 To review the work of past year.
 To approve the budget needed for the
following year.
 To elect member states to designate
a person to serve for 3yrs on
executive board & replace retiring
members.
 Appoints Director General on the
nomination of Executive Board.
 2.The Executive Board:

 Originally had 18 members then raised to 24 &

30 then to 31.
 Technically Qualified in the field of health.
 Meets twice a year generally in January.
Functions:
 To give effect to the decisions &
policies of the Assembly.
 Has power to take action itself in an
emergency, like epidemics,
earthquakes, floods where
immediate action is necessary.
 3.The Secretariat:

 Headed by Director General (chief technical &

administrative officer) assisted by 1 Dy.
Director General .

 6 Regional Directors.
 Main function is to provide Member States
with technical & managerial support for
their national health development
programms.
 At WHO Headquarters in Geneva, there
are 5 Assistant Director Generals
responsible to look after divisions as
assigned by Director General.
 WHO Regional Offices

Region Head Quarters

1. South East Asia.(SEAR) New Delhi.(India).

2. Africa. (AFRO) Harare (Zimbabwe).
3. The Americas(AMRO) Washington D.C.(U.S.A.).
4. Europe. (EURO) Copenhagen.(Denmark).
5. Eastern Alexandria.(Egypt).
Mediterranean.(EMRO)
6. Western Pacific.(WPRO) Manila.(Philippines).
India became a member of WHO on
12th January 1948.
 The Work of WHO:

Broadly classified into 3 divisions:

First: Work which caused International
Health Organizations to come
into existence, such as, epidemic
intelligence & quarantine
& standardization work in
biologicals, statistics,&
nomenclatures.
Second: Direct services to the
governments.

Third: Education & information.

WHO has wide range of books & journals, topics
related to Public Health.

 Information containing advice of international

groups of experts convened by WHO, the
results of scientific work supported or promoted
by organization, studies on subjects of public
heath importance, information obtained from
member countries.
 Publishes PH care material including
training manuals, policy papers, articles
about new approaches to health care &
services.
 Publications includes:

 Handbooks on “Basic Documents &

Resolutions & Decisions.”
 Monthly “Chronicle” – current activities.
 The “Bulletin” – scientific articles on subjects
with which WHO is concerned.
 The “Monographs & Technical Report Series”
– contains scientific studies & report of expert
commitees & study groups.
“Public Health Papers” occasional
papers prepared as contribution to the study of
a particular subject by WHO.
“International Digest of Health
Legislation.”
A series of weekly, monthly & annual
“Epidemiological Records.”
“World Health” – news sheet published.
“The first ten years of WHO.”
 The WHO Oral Health unit:

 Established in 1956.
 Post-graduate education & training at advanced
institutions all over the world.
 WHO consultants are sent to countries
requesting technical assistance.
 Reports of expert committees on various
topics of oral health are published in the
form of “WHO Technical Report Series”.
 Standard methods of collection of data on
global basis have been developed.
 “WHO Global Oral Epidemiology
Programme” –

 Designed to facilitate comparision of data.

 “Global Oral Epidemiology Data Bank”
 WHO International Collaborative Study on
Dental Manpower Systems .
 Establishment of WHO Oral Disease
Preventive Programme in 1976.
 Publications :

- “Oral Health Surveys :Basic Methods”

- “Guide to oral health epidemiological
investigations”.
- “Application of the international
classification of diseases to dentistry &
stomatology”
 The World Health Day :

 Officially born on 7th April 1948.

 So 7th April is celebrated as “World Health
Day”.
 A theme is selected every year & global
attention is focused on particular theme.
 1994 – Oral Health for a Healthy life.
 United Nations International Chidren’s
Emergency Fund (UNICEF)

 Origin: Created byUnited Nations General

Assembly in 1946.
 Purpose: To meet the emergency needs
of children around the world.
 Head Quarters is in New York.
 South Central Asian Region – Head
Quarters is in New Delhi.
 Functions of UNICEF:

 UNICEF goals for the year 2000:

1. Child Health.
2. Maternal Health.
3. Nutrition.
4. Water & Sanitation.
5. Education.
6. Children in especially difficult
circumstances.
7. Advocacy & people’s participation.
G – Growth charts to better
monitor child development.
O – Oral rehydration.
B – Breast feeding.
I – Immunization against
DPT,TB,Polio,measles.
F-
F-
International Labour Organisation
(ILO) :-
 Formed in 1919.
 Headquarters in Switzerland, Geneva.
 Purpose: Improving the living & working
conditions of the working population in
different parts of the world.
 Functions :
1.Establishment of peace by promoting social
justice.
2.To improve the living standards & labour
conditions of working people around the world.
3.To promote economic & social stability.
 Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO)

 Formed in the year 1945.

 Headquarters in Rome.
 Concerned with human diseases of animal
origin, with nutrition & with rural
hygiene.
“Most important aspect is towards ensuring
that the food is consumed by the people
who need it, in sufficient quantities & in
right proportions,to develop & maintain a
better state of nutrition throughout the
world.”
 Functions of FAO:
 To improve nutrition of the people of all
countries.
 To help nations raise living standards.
 To increase the efficiency of
farming,forestry & fisheries.
 To better the condition of rural people &
widen the opportunity of all people for
productive work.
 Campaigning for the freedom from
hunger in all nations.
 United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP)
 Established in 1966.
 Objective:-
1.To help nations in strengthening
their natural and human resources.
2.Takes up projects in sectors like –
agriculture, industry, education &
science, health, social welfare, etc.
World Bank:-
- Specialized agency of the United
Nations.
Purpose:- To give financial assistance
to developing & underdeveloped
countries in the form of loans for
projects that will help in their
economic growth. (Projects
concerned with electricity, transport,
water supply, agriculture, health,
family welfare, & population
control).
Other Bilateral & Non-Governmental
Agencies Involved in Health Work:
 United States Agency For
International Development (USAID)
1961.
 The Colombo plan (1950).
 The Rockefeller Foundation (1913).
 The Ford Foundation.
 Co-operative For American Relief
Everywhere(CARE) (1946).
 The International Red Cross (1864).
Red Cross Society of India(1920):-
Various activities:-
a) Social & Relief work.
b) Supplies of essential items.
c) Maintenance of Blood Banks.
d) Services for Maternal & Child
welfare.
e) Medical care for defence forces.
f) Family Planning Services.
g) First Aid Services.