What we do

What we do

WHO/Y. Shimizu
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WHO works worldwide to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve the vulnerable.

Our goal is to ensure that a billion more people have universal health coverage, to protect a billion more people from health emergencies, and provide a further billion people with better health and well-being.

For universal health coverage, we:  

  • focus on primary health care to improve access to quality essential services
  • work towards sustainable financing and financial protection
  • improve access to essential medicines and health products
  • train the health workforce and advise on labour policies
  • support people's participation in national health policies
  • improve monitoring, data and information.

 

For health emergencies, we:

  • prepare for emergencies by identifying, mitigating and managing risks
  • prevent emergencies and support development of tools necessary during outbreaks
  • detect and respond to acute health emergencies
  • support delivery of essential health services in fragile settings.

 

For health and well-being we:

  • address social determinants
  • promote intersectoral approaches for health
  • prioritize health in all policies and healthy settings.

 

Through our work, we address:

  • human capital across the life-course
  • noncommunicable diseases prevention
  • mental health promotion
  • climate change in small island developing states
  • antimicrobial resistance
  • elimination and eradication of high-impact communicable diseases.