WHO is a specialized agency of the UNITED NATIONS system, and is the leading technical agency on matters relating to public health, worldwide.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has been providing technical assistance to the Government of the Peoples’ Republic of Bangladesh for the development and strengthening of the country’s public health systems since 1972. WHO defines health "as a state of complete, physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity". To realize the objective of attaining the highest possible level of health by all people, WHO has formulated a corporate strategy comprised of seven strategic directions and six core functions, which provide a broad framework for focusing WHO's collaboration with countries. In addition, a six-year Medium-term Strategic Plan based on thirteen strategic objectives (SOs) has been developed for Bangladesh and other SEAR countries.

The strategic directions are as follows:

Strategic direction 1: Promote access of vulnerable groups to health services ensuring a continuum of care throughout the life course.

Strategic direction 2: Enhance capacity for the prevention and control of major communicable diseases and diseases targeted for elimination/eradication, and strengthen integrated disease surveillance.

Strategic direction 3: Promote healthy lifestyles and cost-effective interventions for the prevention and control of major NCDs and injuries, and for mental health promotion.

Strategic direction 4: Enhance equitable and sustainable access to safe water and sanitation, reduce environmental and occupational health risks and promote food safety.

Strategic direction 5: Strengthen multisectoral approaches for emergency preparedness, response and recovery.

Strategic direction 6: Strengthen the health system with a focus on health workforce development and equitable access to quality health care.

Strategic direction 7: Foster partnership and coordination for national health development.

The core functions include the following:

• Providing leadership on matters critical to health and engaging in partnerships where joint action is needed
• Shaping the research agenda and stimulating the generation, translation and dissemination of valuable knowledge
• Setting norms and standards, and promoting and monitoring their implementation
• Articulating ethical and evidence-based policy options
• Providing technical support, catalysing change, and building sustainable institutional capacity
• Monitoring the health situation and assessing health trends  

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Within the broader framework of corporate strategy, WHO prepares a country-specific cooperation strategy. The WHO Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS) for Bangladesh was developed in consultation with GoB and DPs. The CCS for Bangladesh is based on a comprehensive review of the country’s health and development challenges. The CCS is a medium-term framework that establishes the strategic directions and provides guidance for planning, budgeting and resource allocation. Some of the salient features of the CCS are:  

• Reducing under-five and maternal deaths by further accelerating quality health services to children and mothers.

• Combating major communicable diseases including multi-drug resistant TB, malaria and the spread of HIV/AIDS.

• Containing the increasing trend of major non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and reversing the trend by addressing health risks.

• Ensuring equitable and sustainable access to safe water supply and sanitation, and promoting environmental and occupational health.

• Strengthening epidemic alert, and emergency preparedness and response to effectively tackle public health emergencies.

• Bolstering the health system’s responsiveness for equitable access to quality health care, fairness in health-care financing, and pro-poor and improved governance and stewardship.

• Strengthening human resources for health development by addressing health personnel shortage, and improving quality of their education, deployment and utilization.

Within the broader framework of corporate strategy, WHO prepares a country-specific cooperation strategy. The WHO Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS) for Bangladesh was developed in consultation with GoB and DPs. The CCS for Bangladesh is based on a comprehensive review of the country’s health and development challenges. The CCS is a medium-term framework that establishes the strategic directions and provides guidance for planning, budgeting and resource allocation. Some of the salient features of the CCS are:  

• Reducing under-five and maternal deaths by further accelerating quality health services to children and mothers.

• Combating major communicable diseases including multi-drug resistant TB, malaria and the spread of HIV/AIDS.

• Containing the increasing trend of major non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and reversing the trend by addressing health risks.

• Ensuring equitable and sustainable access to safe water supply and sanitation, and promoting environmental and occupational health.

• Strengthening epidemic alert, and emergency preparedness and response to effectively tackle public health emergencies.

• Bolstering the health system’s responsiveness for equitable access to quality health care, fairness in health-care financing, and pro-poor and improved governance and stewardship.

• Strengthening human resources for health development by addressing health personnel shortage, and improving quality of their education, deployment and utilization.

In addition to the LCG mechanism, WHO also enjoys bilateral collaboration and support from donors in Bangladesh.

COLLABORATION WITH NGOs, PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES, UNIVERSITIES AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS

WHO collaborates with professional societies, universities, NGOs and civil societies in specific and selected areas under the frame work of Plan of Action jointly developed and agreed  with the Government (MOHFW). Accordingly, WHO cooperates with the BMA, the Private Practitioners' Association, the major tertiary medical colleges, several international and national NGOs, including GK, BRAC, ICDDR,B, Damien Foundation, Save the Children, DORP, and research institutions such as BIDS and CPD, among others.

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