Ramped-up emergency preparedness, part of ‘changing the DNA’ of the UN’s health agency
WHO’s new structural pillars:
- Programmes pillar – to support WHO’s work on universal health coverage and healthier populations.
- Emergencies pillar – to manage WHO’s critical health security responsibilities, both in responding to health crises and helping countries prepare for them.
- External Relations and Governance pillar – to harmonize WHO’s work on resource mobilization, communications.
- Business Operations pillar – to professionally administer budgeting, finance, human resources and supply chain functions, among others.
Coordinating its processes and structures with these targets and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is at the centre of WHO’s five-years strategic plan.
Based on four pillars, the new structure and operating model will align its work at headquarters, regional offices and country offices – eliminating duplication and fragmentation.
Another institution-strengthening reform will come through a new department dedicated to boosting digital health to help countries in assessing, regulating and maximizing all that digital technologies and artificial intelligence innovations (AI), have to offer.
To provide new learning opportunities for staff and public health professionals around the world, a state-of-the-art WHO Academy has also been proposed to create a more dynamic, diverse workforce.
Other measures include a streamlined recruitment process to cut hiring time in half; more management training; new opportunities for national professional officers, and previously-announced improvements in conditions for interns.