BMJ 2002;325:1294-1298 ( 30 November )

Education and debate

WHO in 2002

Why does the world still need WHO?

Gavin Yamey, deputy physician editor, Best Treatments. 

BMJ Unified, London WC1H 9JR

gyamey@bmj.com

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

The landscape of global health is changing. New donor money, disease control initiatives, and trade laws have all had an impact on international health cooperation. WHO is being forced to rethink what its functions should be

WHO used to dominate international health. But in the 1990s, the World Bank took its place as the premier global health agency,1 and a wide array of health initiatives were launched, bringing new money and fresh ideas to tackle disease. Globalisation is presenting new challenges to an increasingly fragmented global health landscape.2 What are the implications for WHO of these changes?
Summary points

The World Bank, Gates Foundation, and Global Fund have become major financiers of global health activities
WHO has little influence over the spending of these new health funds
The poorest countries need WHO's support in applying for funds and rolling out new global health initiatives
As international health cooperation fragments, WHO's role in setting global standards has become crucial
WHO's integrity in setting standards remains open to undue influence




    New money for global health

The World Bank has become the largest external financier of health activities in low income and middle income countries.1 In the 1990s its health loans far exceeded WHO's total budget (fig 1), and its health sector activities have continued to grow. Its new Multi-Country AIDS Programme alone provides $500m over three years . . . [Full text of this article]
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This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Hein, W., Kohlmorgen, L. (2008). Global Health Governance: Conflicts on Global Social Rights. Global Social Policy 8: 80-108 [Abstract]  
  • Yamey, G., Abbasi, K. (2003). New leader, new hope for WHO. BMJ 326: 1100-1101 [Full text]  

Rapid Responses:

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WHO needs chaos and complexity science?
Vivian S Rambihar
bmj.com, 1 Dec 2002 [Full text]
Should WHO confine its activities to monitoring??
Richard G Fiddian-Green, et al.
bmj.com, 11 Dec 2002 [Full text]
The world needs the WHO, a different WHO
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bmj.com, 19 Dec 2002 [Full text]
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