NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL HEALTH

ORGANIZATIONS
Mehico Mae T. Po, RMT

INTERNATIONAL HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
WHO is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations
system. It was formed on April 7, 1948 a date we now celebrate as World Health
Day.
Address for WHO Regional Office: World Health Organization, Regional Office for the
Western Pacific Region (WPRO), PO Box 2932, 1099 Manila, Philippines
WHO fulfills its objectives through its core functions:
a Providing leadership on matters critical to health and engaging in partnerships
where joint action is needed;
a Shaping the research agenda and stimulating the generation, translation and
dissemination of valuable knowledge;
a Setting norms and standards and promoting and monitoring their implementation;
a Articulating ethical and evidence-based policy options;
a Providing technical support, catalyzing change, and building sustainable
institutional capacity; and
a Monitoring the health situation and assessing health trends.
UNITED NATIONS CHILDRENS FUND (UNICEF)

J UNICEF is the driving force that helps build a world where the rights of every child are
realized. It was created on December 11, 1946, originally as the United Nations
International Childrens Emergency Fund.

J UNICEF believes that nurturing and caring for children are the cornerstones of human

progress.
a They advocate for measures to give children the best start in life, because proper
care at the youngest age forms the strongest foundation for a persons future.
a They promote girls education ensuring that they complete primary education as
a minimum because it benefits all children, both girls and boys.
a They act so that all children are immunized against common childhood diseases,
and are well nourished, because it is wrong for a child to suffer or die from a
preventable illness.
a They work to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS among young people because it is
right to keep them from harm and enable them to protect others. They help
children and families affected by HIV/AIDS to live their lives with dignity.

a They involve everyone in creating protective environments for children. They are
present to relieve suffering during emergencies, and wherever children are
threatened, because no child should be exposed to violence, abuse or
exploitation.
a They uphold the Convention on the Rights of the Child working to assure
equality for those who are discriminated against, girls and women in particular.
a They are part of the Global Movement for Children a broad coalition dedicated to
improving the life of every child. Through this movement, they encourage young
people to speak out and participate in the decisions that affect their lives.
UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (UNDP)
UNDP is UNs global development network, advocating for change and connecting
countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life.
Four main focus areas of UNDP:
a Poverty reduction and achievement of the MDGs (Millennium Development Goals)
a Democratic governance
a Crisis prevention and recovery
a Environment and energy for sustainable development
UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME (UNEP)

UNEP is the voice for the environment within the United Nations system. They act as a

catalyst, advocate, educator and facilitator to promote the wise use and sustainable
development of the global environment.

UNEP work encompasses:

a Assessing global, regional and national environmental conditions and trends

a Developing international and national environmental instruments
a Strengthening institutions for the wise management of the environment

Other than the UN organizations, international health organizations are usually

divided into three groups: bilateral donor agencies, multilateral donor
agencies, and non-governmental organizations.
Bilateral Donor Agencies
w Bilateral donor agencies are governmental agencies in a single country, which provide
aid to developing countries.
w Major organizations:
United States Agency for International Development (USAID) 120 recipient
countries worldwide
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) 72 recipient countries worldwide
Unite Kingdom Department for International Development (U.K. DFiD) 27 recipient
countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East

Multilateral Donor Agencies

w Multilateral donor agencies are agencies that represent a group of countries. The term
multilateral means that the funding comes from multiple governments (as well as
from non-governmental sources) and is distributed to many countries.
w Major multilateral organizations are all part of the UN:
World Health Organizations (WHO)
World Bank
European Union (EU)
United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF)
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
w WHO and the World Bank are the major intergovernmental agencies related to the UN.
EUROPEAN UNION (EU)
The EU is a union of twenty-eight independent states on the European Communities
founded to enhance political, economic, and social cooperation. It was formerly known
as the European Community (EC) or European Economic Community (EEC).
WORLD BANK
Working for a World Free of Poverty
The World Bank is a vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing
countries around the world.

The Philippines has been a member since December 27, 1945.

Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs)

w NGOs are also known as private voluntary organizations (PVOs). They may also be able
to provide technical or financial support to programs.
OXFAM (Oxford Committee for Famine Relief)
The power of people against poverty

Worldwide, the most important NGO in long-term international health is Oxfam,

International. It was founded in the United Kingdom in 1943, and now has affiliates in
10 other countries, including the Unites States.

Since November 2013, Oxfam has invested $42 M in the Philippines to help with:

clean water supplies, community latrines, water pumps, cash vouchers for food
and home repairs;
fishing boat replacement and repairs;
clearing coconut tree debris; and
setting up sawmills to convert the debris into lumber for shelters.

NATIONAL HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (DOH)
(Kagarawan ng Kalusugan)
w DOH is the principal health agency in the Philippines.
a It holds over-all technical authority on health, as it is a national health policy-maker
and regulatory institution.
a They are responsible for ensuring basic public health services to all Filipinos
through quality health care and regulation of health goods and services.
a They provide special tertiary health care services and technical assistance to health
providers and stakeholders.
a It has three major roles in the health sector: leadership in health, enabler and
capacity builder, and administrator of specific services.
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES
(DENR)
(Kagarawan ng Kapaligiran at Likas Yaman)
w DENR is tasked to formulate and implement policies, guidelines, rules and regulations
relating to environmental management and pollution prevention and control.
a Formulate, implement and supervise the governments policies, plans and
programs pertaining to the management, conservation, development, use and
replenishment of the countrys natural resources and ecological diversity
a Promulgate and implement rules and regulations governing exploration,
development, extraction, disposition, the use of the forests, lands, minerals,
wildlife, and other natural resources