WHO
World Health Organisation (WHO)
The objective of WHO is the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health. Health, as defined in the WHO Constitution, is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. (See also: www.who.int/aboutwho/en/mission.htm)
WHO consists of its' Headquarters and six Regional offices throughout the world, each with its own programme geared to the particular health problems of the countries it serves.
IFMSA is in official relations with WHO since 1969. The World Health Organisation is probably one of IFMSA's most important contacts. Working on the international health issues is main activity of both of our organizations.
Recent collaboration history:
A big number of projects and activities of IFMSA in the past years have been developed with WHO collaboration, and a number of them are now in development.
Activities in the field of Health Systems:
- The Federation contributes to WHO's work to encourage changes in medical education practice. WHO makes a technical input to the Federations Initiative "Village Concept" which entails student-to-student cooperation in the provision of health information, etc. to community health programmes in several developing countries.
- 3rd International Symposium Village Concept Projects: Evaluation and Sustainability, Germany 2000
- Revised Village Concept Document, May 2000 Germany
Activities in the field of Children' and Adolescents' Health and Development:
- Workshop on Refugees and Reproductive Health, Egypt 1998
- Pediatrics Medical Books Survey of CAH, Slovenia 1999
- 2nd International Training on Human Rights: Right to Health, Zimbabwe, 1998
- Workshop on Maternal and Child Health, reducing mortality and morbidity, Mexico 1999
- Medical Students' International (MSI) on Child Health, 1999
- International Workshop on Future of Medical Education: Life Long Learning and the undergraduate Medical Education, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 1999
- Workshop on Children and War, Aalborg 2001
- Ongoing/in preparation:
- Project on substance abuse with NMOs within WHO Eastern Mediteranean Regional Office 2002/2003
- Maternal and Child Health training workshop, Indonesia 2002 (possibly link on the project web page)
- Workshop on Child Rights, Child Abuse and Neglect, 2003
Activities in the field of Ageing and Health:
- Workshop on Ageing and Health, Portugal 2000
- Survey on Geriatric Teaching in medical schools, 2000
- International Students' Network on Ageing and Health (ISNAH), initiated in August 2000
- Walk Event 2000, participation by various IFMSA members
- Workshop on Ethics of Old Age, Aalborg 2001
- Medical Student International (MSI) on Aging and Health 2002
- Report on Teaching Geriatrics in Medical Education I 2002
- The United Nations II World Assembly on Ageing, Madrid 2002 (http://www.madrid2002-envejecimiento.org)
Activities in the field of Tobacco Free Initiative:
- Medical Students' Network Against Tobacco (MeSNAT), created by SCOPH, Finland 2000
- Smoke-free IFMSA General Assembly Meeting, Finland 2000
- SCOPH: Small survey on Tobacco use amongst participants to IFMSA GA in Malta 2001
Activities in the field of Gender, Women and Health:
- IFMSA Women's Corner, Finland 2000
- Forum on Gender Equity, Malta 2001
- Working Session on Female Genital Mutilation, Malta 2001
- IFMSA Standing Committee on Reproductive health including AIDS commitment on Female Genital Mutilation topic 2002
Activities in the field of Violence and Injuries Prevention:
- Curricula Development Project on Injury Prevention - click here for more info on this project
IFMSA currently has very intensive collaboration with following WHO departments:
- Child and Adolescent Health and development
- Department of Non communicable disease prevention and Health Promotion
- Reproductive Health
- Violence and Injury Prevention
There is a possibility to contact any other WHO department according to needs of IFMSA NMOs.
Links
IFMSA Liaison officer to the World Health Organisation: