World Health Organization marks 75th anniversary

The World Health Organization (WHO) celebrates 75 years since its foundation on April 7. The United Nations approved the establishment of an autonomous international health organisation in 1945 and on April 7, 1948 the WHO was formed, with the first meeting of the World Health Assembly taking place on July 24 of that year. Since then, the U.N. agency has played a leading role in multiple public health achievements, including the eradication of smallpox and the development of an Ebola vaccine. More recently the WHO was a key player in the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) scheme, which gave low-to-middle-income countries equitable access to coronavirus vaccines and tests. Currently lead by Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Geneva-based WHO has 194 member states and 150 field offices worldwide. The anniversary of the WHO's establishment is celebrated every year as World Health Day.