International Organizations

World Organizations

• United Nations (UN)
The United Nations is central to global efforts to solve problems which challenge humanity. Much of this work is done by more than 30 affiliated organizations, known together as the UN system, including the World Health Organization. In addition to WHO, health-related activities of UN agencies include: a) promotion of child health (UNICEF); b) expanding food production (FAO; WFP); c) improving the quality of drinking water; d) clearing landmines (DDA); e) refugee assistance (UNHCR; UNRWA); and f) defining standards for safe and efficient transport by air and sea (ICAO). Apart from contributing to world;peace, the United Nations also leads international campaigns against drug trafficking and terrorism through its Office for Drug Control & Crime Prevention. Throughout the world, the UN and its agencies assist refugees and set up and help stabilize financial markets. The UN has 189 member countries.

• The World Bank Group
  The World Bank Group is the world’s largest source of development assistance. The Bank is now working in more than 100 developing economies, bringing a mix of finance and ideas to improve living standards and eliminate the worst forms of poverty. For each of its clients, the Bank works with government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector to formulate assistance strategies. The World Bank is owned by more than 180 member countries.
• World Health Organization (WHO)
  The objective of WHO is the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health. WHO acts as the directing and coordinating authority on international health work. All countries which are Members of the United Nations may become members of WHO by accepting its Constitution. There are currently 191 member countries.

Regional Organizations

• European Environment Agency (EEA)
  The EEA aims to support sustainable development and to help achieve significant and measurable improvement in Europe’s environment through the provision of timely, targeted, relevant and reliable information to policy making agents and the public.
• European Union (EU)
  The European Union (EU) is the result of a process of cooperation and integration which today has 25 countries.
• Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
  The OECD includes 30 member countries; OECD provides governments a setting in which to discuss, develop and perfect economic and social policy. They compare experiences, seek answers to common problems and work to co-ordinate domestic and international policies that increasingly in today’s globalised world must form a web of even practice across nations.
• Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)
  The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is an international public health agency with almost 100 years of experience working to improve health and living standards of the people of the Americas. It includes 35 countries in North, South and Central America. Site includes information on sanitation, communicable diseases, food and nutrition, gender and health.

Professional Organizations

• European Healthcare Management Association (EHMA)
  The EMHA seeks to improve health through better management.  The Association is a bridge-building organisation – creating links between countries; between academia and practising managers; between managers, doctors and nurses; and between specialist managerial areas. It focuses on all aspects of healthcare management.
• International Health Economics Association (IHEA)
  Created to foster higher standard of debate in application of economics to health/health systems.  Site includes a) worldwide directory of health economists; b) electronic health economics analysis letters (also available in print); and c) electronic health economics letters.
• International Health Economics Association (IHEA)
  Created to foster higher standard of debate in application of economics to health/health systems.  Site includes a) worldwide directory of health economists; b) electronic health economics analysis letters (also available in print); and c) electronic health economics letters.
• INAHTA
• International Society of Technology Assessment in Health Care (ISTAHC)
  ISTAHC seeks to foster the application of high-quality and appropriate Health Technology Assessment in health care decision-making, by means of an interdisciplinary and international approach, encouraging the timely and effective dissemination of assessment information throughout the world, and supporting education and research in HTA. (No link found July 2004)

Lists

• Global Hospitals on the World Wide Web (HospitalWeb: 49 countries excluding USA)