World Health Organization (WHO)
The international organization, functioning within the United Nations that was created in 1948 in Geneva. Its primary role is to direct and coordinate international health protection within the United Nations’ system. Working through offices in many countries, WHO staff work side by side with governments and other partners to ensure the highest attainable level of health for people all over the world.
The main areas of WHO’s work are:
- promoting health through the life-course, especially in the disadvantaged groups and the ones suffering from poverty,
- ensuring world health safety - counteracting all diseases, in particular infectious and epidemic ones,
- establishing standards of medicines content and the quality of food
WHO also strives at reducing infant mortality and supports development and distribution of safe and effective vaccines and medicines.
After consultations with countries authorities, WHO shares health statistical data that also include descriptions and analysis of the health indices in the matter of health state of the country’s inhabitants.
Polish official statistics, especially Statistics Poland, as its main coordinator, is obliged to provide statistical information at many levels. One of them is transferring statistical data to specialized international agencies, such as WHO. For example, in 2017 data concerning deaths according to causes was sent to WHO.