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World Health Organization | HearLore
— Ch. 1 · Founding And Early History —
World Health Organization.
~5 min read · Ch. 1 of 6
The World Health Organization officially began its work on the 1st of September 1948, following a constitution that had been signed by all 51 founding countries of the United Nations and ten other nations. This new agency incorporated assets, personnel, and duties from the League of Nations' Health Organization and the Paris-based International Office of Public Hygiene. The first meeting of the World Health Assembly concluded on the 24th of July 1948 with a budget of $3 million for the 1949 year. G. Brock Chisholm was appointed as the director-general after serving as executive secretary during the planning stages. Andrija Štampar became the assembly's first president. Their initial priorities included controlling malaria, tuberculosis, and sexually transmitted infections while improving maternal and child health. The organization established an epidemiological information service via telex in 1947 to track disease spread across borders.
Eradication Campaigns
In 1958, Viktor Zhdanov, Deputy Minister of Health of the USSR, urged the World Health Assembly to launch a global initiative to eradicate smallpox. By 1967, the WHO intensified this campaign, contributing $2.4 million annually while adopting new disease surveillance methods at a time when two million people died of smallpox each year. The main challenge involved underreporting cases, which the organization addressed by creating a network of consultants to help countries implement containment strategies. After more than two decades of effort, a Global Commission declared in 1979 that smallpox had been eradicated, the first disease in history eliminated by human effort. In 1988, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative was established, partnering with Rotary International and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This program has reduced polio cases by 99% since its inception, saving millions from deadly disease through coordinated vaccination drives.
Pandemic Response Strategies
On the 30th of January 2020, the WHO declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern regarding the novel coronavirus outbreak, later named COVID-19. The organization created an Incident Management Support Team on the 1st of January 2020, one day after Chinese health authorities notified them of pneumonia cases of unknown origin. On the 5th of January, the WHO notified all member states of the outbreak and confirmed the first infection outside China within days. While organizing over 35 emergency operations for cholera, measles, and other epidemics internationally, the agency faced criticism for praising China's public health response while attempting diplomatic balance between Washington and Beijing. Following the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the World Health Emergencies programme was formed to change the WHO from a purely advisory body into one that responds operationally to health emergencies. A $100 million Contingency Fund for rapid response was announced at the annual World Health Assembly in 2015, though only $26.9 million had been received by April 2016.
Governance And Funding Models
The World Health Organization is governed by the World Health Assembly, which consists of its 193 member states. This assembly elects and advises an executive board made up of 34 health specialists who select the director-general and approve budgets. As of June 2023, Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari of Qatar chaired the executive board. The organization employs 7,000 people across 149 countries and regions to carry out its principles. In 2020, 21, Germany contributed $58 million in assessed dues plus $953 million in voluntary contributions, making it the largest contributor alongside the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The WHO Executive Board formed a Working Group on Sustainable Financing in 2021 to rethink funding strategies, recommending raising compulsory member dues to equal 50% of the base budget by the end of the 2020s. Travel expenses routinely cost about $200 million annually, more than what is spent tackling mental health problems, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria combined.
Geopolitical Withdrawals
On the 20th of January 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14155 initiating a twelve-month process for withdrawing the United States from the WHO. The withdrawal took effect on the 22nd of January 2026, marking the first time in the organization's history that a member state had officially left. The administration cited alleged failures in handling the COVID-19 pandemic as justification while disputing payment of approximately $260 million in outstanding fees prior to departure. As the WHO's largest funder contributing about 18% of its budget, the U.S. exit created uncertainty over future cooperation. Director-General Tedros stated that the withdrawal would make both the U.S. and the rest of the world less safe. The financial crisis triggered major budget cuts, halving the management team and planning staff reductions of about one quarter. On the 5th of February 2025, Argentinian president Javier Milei announced Argentina would also be withdrawing from the WHO.
Global Policy Frameworks
The World Health Organization develops evidence-based tools, norms, and standards to support member states in informing health policy options. It oversees implementation of International Health Regulations and publishes medical classifications including the International Statistical Classification of Diseases (ICD), the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), and the International Classification of Health Interventions (ICHI). In 2022, the new ICD-11 attempted to integrate traditional medicine classifications with evidence-based medicine systems, though this move faced criticism due to lack of scientific validation for some practices. The organization has developed technical policy packages such as MPOWER for tobacco control, REPLACE for trans fat reduction, SAFER for alcohol policies, and SHAKE for salt reduction. Environmental risk factors like air pollution contribute to more than 100 diseases and injuries, accounting for nearly 12.6 million deaths globally in 2012. A global conference on air pollution and health took place in October 2018, organized in collaboration with UN Environment and the World Meteorological Organization.
When did the World Health Organization officially begin its work?
The World Health Organization officially began its work on the 1st of September 1948. This start followed a constitution signed by all 51 founding countries of the United Nations and ten other nations.
Who was appointed as the first director-general of the World Health Organization?
G. Brock Chisholm was appointed as the director-general after serving as executive secretary during the planning stages. Andrija Štampar became the assembly's first president.
What year did the World Health Assembly declare smallpox eradicated?
A Global Commission declared in 1979 that smallpox had been eradicated, making it the first disease in history eliminated by human effort. The campaign intensified in 1967 with an annual contribution of $2.4 million from the organization.
On what date did the World Health Organization declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern for COVID-19?
On the 30th of January 2020, the World Health Organization declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern regarding the novel coronavirus outbreak. The agency created an Incident Management Support Team on the 1st of January 2020 to manage the response.
When did the United States officially withdraw from the World Health Organization?
The withdrawal took effect on the 22nd of January 2026, marking the first time in the organization's history that a member state had officially left. U.S. President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14155 initiating this process on the 20th of January 2025.