At 75, U.N. health agency is lightning rod for equity and cooperation

The challenges that the World Health Organization faced when it was founded in 1948 are a world away from those it confronts at its three-quarters of a century mark.

In the wake of World War II, WHO worked with nations to tackle the most pressing public health issues such as malaria, tuberculosis and communicable diseases, along with women and children’s health, nutrition and sanitation.

Over the past seven decades life expectancy globally grew to 73 years, up from 46. Smallpox was eradicated; polio is almost gone. Forty-two countries eliminated malaria and 47 nations eliminated at least one neglected tropical disease such as dengue fever, leprosy and river blindness.

Smoking and maternal mortality each fell by a third and child mortality was halved in the past 20 years. New vaccines for Ebola and malaria were developed and licensed in the past five years.

But as the U.N. health agency celebrated its 75th anniversary on Friday – commemorating World Health Day and the day its constitution took effect, recognizing health as a human right – the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic were inescapable.

'No nation can protect itself'

For the past three years, the Geneva-based WHO coordinated the global response to the most severe health crisis in a century.

That also made it a lightning rod for criticism and debate over the world's unequal access to vaccines, and the friction between nations in determining how it began and what should be done.

"Although we have many achievements of which to be proud, we still face many challenges – some old, some new," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a media briefing.

"Around the world, people still face vast disparities in access to health services, between and within countries and communities," he said. "No nation can protect itself against future epidemics and pandemics without the engagement and cooperation of all nations."

Rebuilding from the pandemic

Today, half the world’s population lacks access to one or more services like family planning, basic sanitation, or a health worker, often because of where people live, or their gender, age or identity.

Almost 2 billion people suffer financial hardship from out-of-pocket health spending. Noncommunicable diseases like cancer and diabetes account for 7-in-10 deaths globally.

By the end of the decade, a shortage of 10 million health workers is anticipated mainly in poor nations.

"As the world rebuilds from the pandemic," said Tedros, "we are calling on all countries to protect and invest in their health and care workforce, with safe working conditions, decent pay, protection of labor rights, and protection from violence and discrimination."