UN System, WHO and WHO Regional Office for Europe

1. UN System, WHO andWHO Regional Office for Europe

2. UN System • established on 24 October 1945 by 51 member states • General Assembly • Secretary General and UN Secretariat • Security Council • UN Programmes and Funds (UNDP, UNHCR, UNICEF, etc.) • Specialized agencies (WHO, FAO, ILO, etc.)

3. Role of the WHO in the UN system The World Health Organization is the directing and coordinating authority on international health within the United Nations’ system. WHO experts produce health guidelines and standards, and help countries to address public health issues. WHO also supports and promotes health research. Through WHO, governments can jointly tackle global health problems and improve people’s well-being.

6. WHO’s missionis global and permanent “The mission of WHO is the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health” Source: WHO’s Constitution

7. WHO’s Constitution • Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. • … the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition.

8. Declaration of Human Rights All human beings are born equal in dignity and rights and are entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in the Declaration.

9. WHO principles and values • Health as a human right • Building of countries’ capacity for own heath needs • Universal coverage according to needs • Equity • Society’s sense for collective responsibility • Active and direct involvement in shaping health agendas

10. WHO’s four core functions • to give worldwide guidance in the field of health • to set global standards for health • to cooperate with governments in strengthening national health programmes • to develop and transfer appropriate health technology, information and standards.

11. Strategic directions for WHO • Reduce mortality, morbidity and disability, especially of poor and marginalized populations • Promoting healthy lifestyles and reducing leading risk factors • Strengthen health systems • Place health at centre of broader development agenda

12. Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Eight major goals: • Eradicate poverty and hunger • Achieve universal primary education • Promote gender equality and empower women • Reduce child mortality • Improve maternal health • Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases • Ensure environmental sustainability • Develop a global partnership for development

13. ONE WHOthree levels of action • Headquarters • Six Regional Offices • Country Offices

14. WHO Offices

15. WHO in numbers • WHO was established in 1948 by 61 governments • The WHO Constitution was ratified on 7 April – World Health Day • Today there are 193 Member States • Employs 8000 public health experts worldwide • Has 147 country offices worldwide

16. WHO governance in brief • Headquarters in Geneva • Six regional offices • 193 Member States - 2 Associate Members • World Health Assembly - Executive Board • International working groups • Regional Committee - Standing committee • NGOs with formal relations with the WHO • GSM

17. WHO governance documentation • Constitution • Medium-term Strategic Plans 15 years • General Programme of Work 6 years • Biennial budgets • Resolutions Result - based managementStrategic approach

18. General Programme of Work:Organization-wide global priorities: • 3 major communicable diseases: malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS • Cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes • Tobacco • Making pregnancy safer and children’s health • Health and environment • Food safety • Mental health • Blood safety • Health systems

19. Aims of the UN reform • Provide better coordination on country level • Ensure more transparency (triggered by “Oil for food” case) • Ensure efficiency and savings by consolidating resources

20. WHO Budget • 2006-2007: regular budget US$ 915 million • 20 Member States pay about 90% of the budget • 11 of the 20 are in the European Region • About 3/4 of budget comes from extra budgetary funds

23. How is the money spent? 53% - Response to concrete health threats (epidemics, maternal and child mortality etc, immunization) 21% - Information and knowledge for Members States 13% - Health care, health personnel, quality of medicines 11% - Determinants of health (nutrition, tobacco, environment etc)

24. FCTC • Six meetings of the interational negotiation body 2000-2003 • Convention; protocols under preparation • Entered into force 2005 • Conference of Parties • Secretariat of COP housed by WHO • 149 member states

25. International Health Regulation • A binding international agreement on the control of PHEICs • 4 diseases > decision algorithm > determination and notification of WHO • rights, obligations and procedures in ensuring international health security without unnecessary intereference in international traffic and trade • in a PHEIC WHO can issue recommendations • all Member States • entered into force 15 June 2007

26. Commission on SDHs • Commission • Knowledge networks • Report in 2008 • Implementation? • Agenda of the public health of the 21st century?

27. WHO Regional Office for Europe

29. WHO/EURO WHO/EURO is the secretariat for 53 Member States of the European Region - about 900 million people

30. WHO/EURO • Office exists since 1957 • About 700 staff, out of which about 330 in Copenhagen • More than 60 different nationalities

31. EURO – Country Offices • Liaison offices • Projects and programmes • Humanitarian assistance Plus • Centres (GDOs)

32. EURO regional strategy: Matching services to needs Support Member States in: • developing and sustaining their own health policies, health systems and public health programmes; • preventing and overcoming threats to health; • anticipating future challenges; and • advocating public health

33. EURO priority areas • Strengthening health systems • Reduction of burden of diseases • Strengthening information / intelligence function • Partnership development

34. WHO European Region – challenges 86% of deaths account for non-communicable diseases 9% - for communicable diseases • Obesity • Children and adolescent health • High tobacco and alcohol consumption • Mental health • Injuries and accidents • HIV/AIDS • TB • Measles and rubella

35. Healthy life expectancy (latest available ) Highest San Marino: 73.4 years Sweden: 73.3 years Switzerland: 73.2 years Lowest Turkmenistan: 54.4 years Tajikistan: 54.7 years Kazakhstan: 55.9 years

36. Leading NCD conditions in Europe

37. The main causes are known

38. Prevalence of overweight among school children in Europe IOTF estimates IOTF-Cole et al definition of overweight

39. What does the future hold? • By 2050, more than one-quarter of Europe’s population is expected to be over 65 years • More than one-third of men over 60 years of age have 2 or more chronic conditions - with the number increasing with age and among women

40. Actions: health systems • Policy support: Stewardship, Financing, Service delivery, Resource Generation • Health intelligence service • Ministerial conference on Health Systems 2008

41. Actions: communicable diseases • Influenza Preparedness Plans • Revised International Health Regulations • HIV/AIDS - The 3 x 5 • 100,000 more patients on ART • Measles and congenital rubella • European immunization week 2005

42. Actions: non-communicable diseases • Ministerial Conference on Mental Health, January 2005 • European Strategy on NCD • Ministerial Conference on counteracting obesity, November 2006 • Alcohol Action Plan – RC55 • Framework Convention on Tobacco Control – European Action Plan

43. Actions:Environment and health • Ministerial conferences 2004 (2009) • Mid term review 2007 • Ministerial declaration • Children’s environmental health action plan • EEHC • Direct support to member states

44. Financial resources • Programme Budget for 2006-07: USD 212 m • Regular budget USD 58 m (~ 27%) • Other sources USD 154 m (~ 73%).

45. Resources • Partnerships: UN organizations, EU, NGOs, WHO Collaborating Centres • Vast network of specialists in public health, universities and research institutes across the Region

46. More information is available • Internet WHO/HQ www.who.int • Internet WHO/EURO www.euro.who.int