Medical Term Definition
WHO
WHO stands for the World Health Organization, the United Nations (UN) agency responsible for international cooperation and leadership on global public health.
WHO works with countries and other partners on issues including disease prevention, health emergencies, vaccination, health systems, medicines, nutrition, surveillance, research, environmental health, health standards, and other global health priorities.
WHO develops technical guidance, recommendations, standards, and other resources, but individual countries and their regulatory authorities may establish their own laws, policies, and requirements.
QUICK FACT
WHO was established in 1948 and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
COMMONLY CONFUSED WITH
- Ministry of Health: a national government institution responsible for health policy and administration within a particular country.
- Public health agency: a broader category that can include national, regional, or international organizations working to protect population health.
SEE ALSO
Clinical & Educational Context
Discussed in Health Articles & Guides
Explore how "WHO" is covered across our evidence-based editorial guides:
6 Articles
Unstraight Lines
Let it enter through my lips,
travel the rivers beneath my skin,
and find the stranger
who has made my body home.
Health in the Wild
You probably think about what is in your food, but how often do you think about what your food is...
Medicine without Jargon
For women with uncomplicated labor, evidence and WHO recommendations support mobility during labor and the freedom to choose a comfortable birth position.
The Hard Parts of Medicine
For many generally healthy adults who eat a reasonably varied diet and have no increased nutritional requirements or problems absorbing nutrients, routine supplementation with...
Unstraight Lines
Yet the person we exile is still someone's child, someone's parent, someone who once laughed without calculation, someone who has feared, hoped, failed, and...
The Hard Parts of Medicine
Medicine count is a useful starting point for identifying people who may benefit from a medication review, but it is not a diagnosis of unsafe prescribing.
