International Health and UN Organizations

Current Issues in Health

• The course title is "Current Issues in Health" with the code SSN 486 and 2 credits.

Course Content

• The course covers topics such as: • Health Sector Reforms • Domestic Violence • Diseases for Elimination and Eradication • Sustainable Development Goals • Climate Change and Health • Health Care Financing • Safe Motherhood and Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care • Malaria Control Initiatives • Initiative to Manage and Control Nutritional Deficiencies • Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illness • Ebola • Introduction of new vaccines • International Health Partnerships

Approach to Course

• The approach to the course includes: • Historical background of the initiatives • Progress and updates • Challenges • Relevance to midwifery and nursing practice

Teaching and Assessment Methods

• The teaching methods include lectures and discussions
• The assessment methods include assignments, mid-semester, and end of semester exams

Reference Materials

• The reference materials include: • WHO technical reports • UNICEF reports • Ministry of Health, Ghana website • Ghana Health Service

United Nations (UN)

• The UN was established on October 24, 1945, after World War II
• The UN has 193 member states
• The UN Headquarters is in New York City
• The UN is financed by voluntary contributions from its member states
• The UN has six principal organs: • General Assembly • Security Council • Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) • International Court of Justice • Secretariat • United Nations Trusteeship Council

WHO (World Health Organization)

• The WHO was established on April 7, 1948
• The WHO is the directing and coordinating authority on international health within the UN's system
• The WHO Headquarters is in Geneva, Switzerland
• The WHO is governed by the World Health Assembly, which is composed of representatives from all member countries
• The WHO has six main areas of work: • Health systems • Promoting health through the life-course • Non-communicable diseases • Communicable diseases • Preparedness, surveillance, and response • Corporate services

Funding of WHO

• The WHO is funded by contributions from all member countries and donations from philanthropists

UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund)

• UNICEF was established on December 11, 1946
• UNICEF's original mandate was to meet the emergency needs of children in the aftermath of World War II
• In 1950, UNICEF's mandate was broadened to address the long-term needs of children and women in developing countries
• UNICEF has a presence in over 190 countries and territories
• UNICEF has seven regional offices: • Americas and Caribbean • Central and Eastern Europe • East Asia and the Pacific • Eastern and Southern Africa • Middle East and North Africa • South Asia • West and Central Africa
• UNICEF's headquarters is in New York and has a research centre in Florence, Italy

Governance of UNICEF

• UNICEF is governed by a 36-member Executive Board
• The Executive Board is made up of representatives from member states
• The Executive Board establishes policies, approves programmes, and decides on administrative and financial plans and budgets

Areas of Work of UNICEF

• UNICEF's areas of work include: • Adolescent development • Child protection • Child rights • Children with disabilities • Climate change and environment • COVID-19 response • Early childhood development • Education • Social policy • Water, sanitation, and hygiene • Gender • Health • Humanitarian emergencies • Immunization • Migrant and refugee children • Nutrition • Social and behaviour change

UNICEF in Ghana

• UNICEF has been operational in Ghana since 1982
• The country office is in Accra, and the field office is in Tamale
• UNICEF's main partners in Ghana include the government, NGOs, civil society, media, private sector, and communities
• UNICEF's works in Ghana target the poorest parts of the country and the most marginalized groups of the population