Samples / NURS FPX 4055 / Assessment 2
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NURS FPX 4055 · Assessment 2
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Introduction
Worldwide, organizations that focus on public health are very important because they determine how people's health is affected worldwide in different places. One of those organizations is the WHO (World Health Organization). It was created in 1948 as a separate entity of the United Nations and is currently one of the most powerful entities in the world concerning the coordination of international efforts for public health (Gostin et al., 2024). This paper will be focused on how the WHO continues to support the health and safety of the global population; how it continues to advocate for health equity; and how it continues to support quality of life improvements throughout the world, including specifically; its mission and funding sources, as well as the important role that nurses play within the global scope of the WHO.
Mission and Vision: Contributing to Public Health and Safety
A strategic foundation for global contributions of public health and safety originates from WHO’s mission and vision. The WHO’s vision is the global attainment of maximum possible health and well-being by all persons (World Health Organization [WHO], 2024a). It defines three mission objectives: to promote health; keep the world safe; and support the world’s vulnerable populations in all member states. This mission-oriented framework directly empowers WHO to mobilize scientific expertise and coordinate emergency responses while creating evidence-based health-related standards for the prevention of disease and injury in populations. WHO commits to achieving its mission and vision via the Thirteenth General Programme of Work (GPW13), which established three ambitious Triple Billion targets: one billion additional persons with access to universal health coverage; one billion additional persons protected from health emergencies; and one billion additional persons able to experience better health and well-being (WHO, 2024a).
An example of the WHO's work is when they worked together with other agencies in 2024 to provide vaccinations against polio in Gaza, a war zone that had not seen any cases of polio in over 25 years (UN News). How will the WHO achieve its vision that all people are healthy no matter where they live? In 2024, another 17 countries were able to introduce malaria vaccines through the work of the WHO, as well as single-dose HPV vaccination policies for adolescent girls in low-resource settings to provide protection from cervical cancer (WHO 2024b). This shows that the goals of the WHO are not just wishes but can be seen in actual, measured results that have positive impacts on global health and safety.
Promoting Equal Opportunity and Improving Quality of Life
The WHO’s ability to support equal opportunity and to enhance quality of life has been evidenced through their accomplishments, however it continues to be constrained by social, cultural, economic and physical barriers which exist in the various member states. GPW13 has witnessed an expansion of at least 431 million people having access to essential health services without facing a catastrophic financial burden (WHO, 2025). Nonetheless there continues to be significant inequities within the social determinants of health. Communities in fragile, conflict-affected and vulnerable settings still experience a disproportionately high number of barriers related to vaccination, maternal care and managing communicable diseases; thus, 59% of the 2023 unvaccinated children reside in such at-risk environments (Jones et al., 2024). Culturally, lack of trust in health institutions; geographically being isolated; and experiencing systemic poverty have collectively diminished the WHO’s ability to provide equitable services for all populations.
The WHO has addressed these structural difficulties by creating targeted frameworks for underprivileged communities, but assessments of impact show that limitations persist. Economically, voluntary contributions from donors that fund more than 80% of the WHO’s annual budget are heavily restricted, limiting the ability of the organization to transfer resources to low-resource populations and emerging health emergencies (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2025). Physical barriers, such as a lack of infrastructure, inadequate distribution methods to deliver vaccines and insufficient number of health-care workers in the developing world hinder the ability to achieve equitable health opportunities. Nevertheless, despite these barriers, the WHO's Reports from the 2024 Annual Progress Report, indicate the successful elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases in seven countries and the successful eradication of malaria from Egypt, which demonstrates the total capacity to enhance the quality of life of the most vulnerable populations throughout the world (WHO, 2024b).
Impact of Funding, Policy, and Legislation on Service Delivery
The impact of how the World Health Organization (WHO) obtains its funding has direct implications for how effectively it can provide health services to all persons, families, and/or communities throughout the world. WHO obtains its funding from two main sources: Assessed Contributions—that is, the dues that every member state is required to pay according to their GDP and population size, and Voluntary Contributions that is, contributions both from member states themselves, external partners, and the private sector (e.g., foundations). Today, assessed contributions account for less than 20% of WHO's total revenue, while more than 80% of WHO’s financing comes from voluntary sources where the majority of funding is designated for specific programs. This structure places WHO in a precarious financial position that limits its ability to respond adequately to the rapidly evolving landscape because it does not allow WHO the flexibility to shift resources based on need but limits WHO’s capacity to respond to biological issues according to the desires/intents of the donor rather than according to biological need.
The WHO’s service delivery ability and the effects on communities are greatly affected by the international legislation and policy frameworks that supervise the work of the WHO. The International Health Regulations (2005), which were updated via amendments to come into effect at the World Health Assembly in 2024, will bind member states to develop their capacities for surveillance, detection, and response to public health emergencies (WHO 2024b). Also, WHO GPW14 (2025-2028) provides an integrated results-based management system intended to enhance accountability and equity of funding in there is a major salary shortfall of approximately $317 million for 2025 that will disrupt the continuity of programs (WHO 2025). The withdrawal of the USA from the WHO in 2025 which decreased anticipated assessed contributions from $1.148 billion to $887 million is an example of how political funding decisions can directly threaten the health services provided to a community, especially in poorer countries which rely on WHO coordinated disease surveillance and response to public health emergencies (Kaiser Family Foundation 2025).
Impact on Local Community Health and the Role of Nurses
Working at all levels, the WHO's efforts produce a tangible impact to the health and safety of communities around the globe by setting global standards that ultimately translate into national policies that govern how health care is delivered at a local level. The WHO provides evidence-based guidelines on vaccination schedules; antimicrobial resistance; maternal/newborn health; and non-communicable diseases that will be used as reference points for clinical practice. The WHO’s 2025 State of the World’s Nursing Report, published in conjunction with the International Council of Nurses, indicated an increase in the global nursing workforce to approximately 29.8 million by 2023, however, there remains a shortage of 5.8 million nurses globally – the majority of whom are in low and lower-middle-income countries such that communities without adequate resources often have limited access to first-line health care providers. This ultimately creates greater health disparities and contributes to poorer quality of life for millions of individuals worldwide.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has a unique role among healthcare workers and offers several options for cooperating with the WHO. Nurses are often the first persons to provide the public with healthcare according to WHO Health Guidelines, as they are the first healthcare providers to come in contact with patients when they enter the healthcare system in many parts of the world (WHO 2022). In addition to providing healthcare, nurses also provide the WHO with information necessary for Member States to develop their health workforces, promote and sustain WHO-aligned health policies at both local and national levels, actively participate in WHO-affiliated educational experiences, and serve as volunteers on WHO emergency response teams. The WHO 2021 – 2025 Global Strategic Directions for Nursing and Midwifery calls for member states to leverage nurses to increase access to Universal Health Coverage by expanding their roles and investing in nursing leaders within the context of Universal Health Coverage (WHO 2022). Through local work in their community to increase health promotion, nurses may strengthen local implementation of global evidence-based guidelines while also increasingly recognizing and advocating for health equity in their communities according to WHO priority frameworks.
Conclusion
The World Health Organization is the greatest undisputed organisation in world history because it coordinates and improves public health worldwide for the benefit of all people, especially in order to be fully healed; the target of the WHO is to ensure thus by promoting universal health through health care and services available to everybody (and creating measurable outcomes, e.g. through access to universal health care); eliminating diseases and responding to emergencies). The reason for the above-mentioned links is because of various factors such as lack of funding, inequitable infrastructure and political matters, which limit common access to care/services therefore causing continuous harm to people accessing care and services. Given that, and due to the fact the majority of nurses are part of the global workforce (which represent WHO global policies with respect to global health) and are the focal point between the two, they have an extremely important role in assisting the WHO in its worldwide mission.
References
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Iwunna, O., Kennedy, J., & Harmer, A. (2023). Flexibly funding WHO? An analysis of its donors’ voluntary contributions. British Medical Journal Global Health, 8(4), e011232. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2022-011232
Jones, C. E., Danovaro-Holliday, M. C., Mwinnyaa, G., & Zimmerman, L. (2024). Routine vaccination coverage — worldwide, 2023. MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 73(43), 978–984. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7343a4
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United Nations News. (2025, January 22). What is the World Health Organization and why does it matter? https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/01/1159266
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