【Establishment】The WHO began when its Constitution came into force on 7 April 1948, with core function as directing and coordinating international health work through collaboration.

【Objectives】The objective of the WHO shall be the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health. Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being.

【Membership】The WHO has 194 member states and 2 associate member states.

【Head of the Organization】The WHO is headed by the Director-General, who is appointed by the World Health Assembly in accordance with the nomination of the Executive Board. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus from Ethiopia is now the Director-General of WHO and he took office for a five-year term on 1 July 2017.

【Secretariat】The WHO Secretariat have now more than 7000 people working in 150 country offices, in six regional offices and at its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Website: http://www.who.int

Governance takes place through the World Health Assembly, which is the supreme decision-making body; and the Executive Board, which gives effect to the decisions and policies of the Health Assembly. The main functions of the World Health Assembly are to determine the policies of the Organization, appoint the Director-General, supervise financial policies, and review and approve the proposed programme budget. The Executive Board is composed of 34 technically qualified members elected for three-year terms.

【Funding】The main sources of funding are assessed contribution provided by member states and voluntary countributions provided by member states and relevant partners.

【Main acitivites】The WHO’s main areas of work are health systems, health through the life-course, noncommunicable and communicable diseases, preparedness, surveillance and response, and corporate services.

【China’s Relationship with WHO】China is one of the founding members of the organization. In 1972, the 25th World Health Assembly restored the legal seat of the People's Republic of China. China has since then attended successive Assemblies and Regional Committee Meetings for the Western Pacific, and has been elected as a member of the Executive Committee on many occasions. From November 2006 to June 2017, Dr. Margaret Chan from China served as the Director-General of the WHO. In 2017, the two parties signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Health Sector Cooperation Under the Belt and Road Initiative.

On 18 January 2017, President Xi Jinping of China visited the WHO and met with Director-General Margaret Chan. On 28 Jan 2020, President Xi met with Director-Genera Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. In June 2011, Professor Peng Liyuan was appointed as the WHO Goodwill Ambassador for HIV/AIDS and TB.