Contribution to the World Health Organisation (WHO)

Projet terminé

The World Health Organisation is the directing and coordinating authority on international health within the United Nations system. WHO is a priority organisation for Switzerland’s development cooperation because its mandate is to ensure the highest attainable level of health and well-being for all. Its rights-based approach to health makes WHO a crucial partner for health equity and its normative function is a key source of strategic comparative advantage on the global health scene.

Pays/région Thème Période Budget
Monde entier
Santé
Renforcement des systèmes de santé
Maladies infectieuses
Santé & droits reproductives
Paludisme
Système de santé primaire
Maladies sexuellement transmissibles (y compris VIH/sida)
Éducation sanitaire
Tuberculose
01.01.2017 - 31.12.2019
CHF  16’700’000
Domaine de compétences The World Health Organization (WHO) is the directing and coordinating authority for health. It provides leadership on global health, shapes the health research agenda, sets norms and standards, presents evidence-based policy options, provides technical assistance to countries, not least in emergencies, and monitors and assesses health trends. Its rights-based approach to health makes WHO a crucial partner for health equity and its normative function is a key source of strategic comparative advantage on the global health scene.
Priorités stratégiques de la Suisse et de l'organisation et leur cohérence The strengthening of WHO as global health authority is an objective of the Swiss Health Foreign Policy. Health is a thematic priority for SDC as stated in the Dispatch on Switzerland’s International Cooperation 2017-2020, which also identifies the World Health Organisation among SDC’s priority multilateral organizations. SDC’s health policy seeks to improve the health status of poor and vulnerable people in low and middle-income countries by addressing selected global health risks and challenges. This is included in WHO’s overall goal of ensuring the highest attainable level of health for all people as well as in the priorities of WHO’s Programme of work.
Résultats de l'engagement déployé à ce jour par l'organisation

WHO is doing a good job as a global normative health agency. Resolutions are negotiated and adopted during the World Health Assembly and then WHO defines strategies to be implemented by countries with support from regional offices. Both at the normative and implementation levels WHO works in partnerships with the main agencies that have specific health mandates.

  • As of May 2016, WHO has adopted FENSA, a Framework for Engagement with Non-State Actors (NGOs, academic, business and philanthropic organizations).

  • The Ebola epidemic has shown the importance to have strong and reliable health systems. This is well in line with the promotion by the WHO of Universal Health coverage as a key health priority.

  • The reform and strengthening of WHO’s emergency work is making progress with regular communication by WHO and close monitoring by the Swiss Mission in Geneva and Head Offices in Bern.

  • The 6th external review presented in 2016 reiterates that the WHO Special programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) has successfully moved from a research organization to find its niche as a convener, facilitator, knowledge manager and commissioner of research and innovation, with a prime focus on implementation research.
  • The Human Reproduction Programme (HRP) was instrumental in conducting research on Zika and using their findings directly in the emergency response. This shows a direct link between global guidelines and local implementation.
Résultats de l'engagement déployé à ce jour par la Suisse

Switzerland together with other donor governments pushed for a reform of WHO’s emergency work and to adapt the budget accordingly. Switzerland’s humanitarian aid is currently supporting WHO efforts to keep track of all attacks on healthcare personnel.

Switzerland played a key role in negotiations and adoption of a resolution that promotes the institutionalisation of the Global Health Observatory and the establishment of a WHO Expert Committee on Health R&D for diseases that disproportionately affect developing countries.

Switzerland again took an active role within the HRP policy Coordination Committee to increase the dissemination of research and evidence at country level, place young people’s sexual and reproductive health and rights on the agenda, advance research related to ZIKA, and improve the working methods and decision making processes of the group.

Switzerland actively contributed to the Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) agenda through inputs in various working groups and meetings and by feeding NCDs related policies with evidence from bilateral programs.

Effets directs de l'engagement actuel de l'organisation

In the WHO’s 12th programme of work, SDC will pay particular attention to results achieved in the following categories of work:

  • Communicable diseases: burden should continue to decrease in particular in low and middle-income countries that are affected by malaria and other neglegted tropical diseases. Countries should receive support to plan for the transition phase after polio eradication.

  • Promoting health through the life-course: With particular focus on the health of women, newborns, children and adolescents as well as on the determinants of health.

  • Health Systems: progress in moving towards universal health coverage

  • WHO Health emergencies programme: Successful completion of the reform so that WHO can play its role in providing populations affected by health emergencies with access to the essential life-saving health services and public health interventions they need.

During this phase, WHO will establish its 13th Programme of work which will be the first to reflect the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Effets directs de l'engagement actuel de la Suisse

Switzerland will continue to engage with WHO in order to advance particular outcomes:

  1. Greater coherence in global health, with WHO taking the lead in enabling the different actors to play an active and effective role in contributing to the health of all people.
    Will be done by Swiss engagement on thematic and institutional priorities of the organisation
  2. Promotion of social innovation and building of national and regional research capacities in countries affected by tropical and poverty-related diseases at the interface between research and health care delivery, with a particular focus on harnessing the power of research to address the determinants of health.
    Will be done through Switzerland’s engagement in TDR
  3. Sustainable change in national and international policy and public health programmes in relation to sexual and reproductive health and rights.
    Will be done through Switzerland’s engagement in HRP
  4. National emergency response supported by a well-resourced and efficient WHO Health emergencies Programme.
Direction/office fédéral responsable DDC
Crédit Coopération au développement
Partenaire de projet Partenaire contractuel
Organisme des Nations Unies (ONU)
  • Organisation mondiale de la santé


Budget Phase en cours Budget de la Suisse CHF    16’700’000 Budget suisse déjà attribué CHF    17’391’815
Donateur d'ordre

17th rank (among donor countries)

27th rank (among all donors)

Donateurs

  1. United States of America
  2. United Kingdom
  3. Japan
  4. Germany
  5. Canada
  6. Australia
  7. Sweden
  8. France
  9. Norway
  10. Netherlands

Coordination avec autres projets et acteurs

Switzerland is no longer member of the Executive Board or the Programme Budget and Administrative Committee and participates in these meetings as a non-member. At the World Health Assembly each Member State has a seat. The Swiss delegation is composed of representatives from FOPH and FDFA.

In the HRP Board: Switzerland has its own seat.

In the TDR Board: Switzerland is part of a constituency with Norway.

Other coordination: Swiss NGOs (e.g. Medicus Mundi Schweiz) IOs (e.g. UNAIDS, Global Fund).

Phases du projet Phase 15 01.01.2023 - 31.12.2024   (Phase en cours) Phase 14 01.01.2020 - 31.12.2022   (Completed)

Phase 13 01.01.2017 - 30.11.2021   (Completed)

Phase 11 01.01.2013 - 31.12.2017   (Completed)