Editing World Health Organization (section)

====Communicable diseases====
During the 1970s, WHO had dropped its commitment to a global malaria eradication campaign as too ambitious, it retained a strong commitment to malaria control. WHO's Global Malaria Programme works to keep track of [[malaria]] cases, and future problems in malaria control schemes. As of 2012, the WHO was to report as to whether [[RTS,S]]/AS01, were a viable [[malaria vaccine]]. For the time being, [[insecticide]]-treated [[mosquito net]]s and insecticide sprays are used to prevent the spread of malaria, as are [[antimalarial drugs]] – particularly to vulnerable people such as pregnant women and young children.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs094/en/index.html |title=Malaria Fact Sheet |website=WHO Media Centre |publisher=WHO |date=April 2012 |access-date=24 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120527220008/http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs094/en/index.html |archive-date=27 May 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1988, WHO launched the Global Polio Eradication Initiative to eradicate [[polio]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2003/pr78/en/ |title=WHO |access-date=20 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050428052449/http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2003/pr78/en/ |archive-date=28 April 2005 |url-status=dead}}</ref> It has also been successful in helping to reduce cases by 99% since WHO partnered with [[Rotary International]], the [[US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]] (CDC), the [[United Nations Children's Fund]] (UNICEF), and smaller organizations. {{As of| 2011}}, it has been working to immunize young children and prevent the re-emergence of cases in countries declared "polio-free".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs114/en/ |title=Poliomyelitis Fact Sheet |website=WHO Media Centre |publisher=WHO |date=October 2011 |access-date=11 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170418105535/http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs114/en/ |archive-date=18 April 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2017, a study was conducted as to why Polio Vaccines may not be enough to eradicate the Virus & conduct new technology. Polio is now on the verge of extinction, thanks to a Global Vaccination Drive. The World Health Organization (WHO) stated the eradication programme has saved millions from deadly disease.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.who.int/health-topics/poliomyelitis#tab=tab_1 |title=Poliomyelitis (Polio) |access-date=26 January 2023 |archive-date=7 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231007002521/https://www.who.int/health-topics/poliomyelitis#tab=tab_1 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Between 1990 and 2010, WHO's help has contributed to a 40% decline in the number of deaths from tuberculosis, and since 2005, over 46&nbsp;million people have been treated and an estimated 7&nbsp;million lives saved through practices advocated by WHO. These include engaging national governments and their financing, early diagnosis, standardizing treatment, monitoring of the spread and effect of tuberculosis, and stabilizing the drug supply. It has also recognized the vulnerability of victims of HIV/AIDS to tuberculosis.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs104/en/index.html |title=Tuberculosis Fact Sheet |website=WHO work mediacenter |publisher=WHO |date=April 2012 |access-date=24 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131230232509/http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs104/en/index.html |archive-date=30 December 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2003, the WHO denounced the [[Roman Curia]]'s health department's opposition to the use of [[condom]]s, saying: "These incorrect statements about condoms and HIV are dangerous when we are facing a global pandemic which has already killed more than 20&nbsp;million people, and currently affects at least 42&nbsp;million."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/oct/09/aids |title=Vatican: condoms don't stop Aids |work=The Guardian |date=9 October 2003 |access-date=18 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161121222120/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/oct/09/aids |archive-date=21 November 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> {{As of|2009}}, the [[Roman Catholic Church and AIDS|Catholic Church remains opposed to increasing the use of contraception to combat HIV/AIDS]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/mar/17/pope-africa-condoms-aids |title=Pope claims condoms could make African Aids crisis worse |website=[[The Guardian]] |date=17 March 2009 |access-date=31 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130906074226/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/mar/17/pope-africa-condoms-aids |archive-date=6 September 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> At the time, the World Health Assembly president, [[Guyana]]'s Health Minister [[Leslie Ramsammy]], condemned [[Pope Benedict XVI|Pope Benedict's]] opposition to contraception, saying he was trying to "create confusion" and "impede" proven strategies in the battle against the disease.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hsk4RI5cPLSsvXTY9ZEyWSMrVElg |title=World Health Assembly: Pope Benedict "wrong" |agency=[[Agence France-Presse]] |date=21 March 2009 |access-date=31 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120524053152/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hsk4RI5cPLSsvXTY9ZEyWSMrVElg |archive-date=24 May 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2007, the WHO organized work on pandemic [[influenza vaccine]] development through [[clinical trial]]s in collaboration with many experts and health officials.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.who.int/immunization/diseases/influenza/clinical_evaluation_tables/en/|title=Tables on clinical evaluation of influenza vaccines |website=World Health Organization |access-date=13 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171125083429/http://www.who.int/immunization/diseases/influenza/clinical_evaluation_tables/en/ |archive-date=25 November 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref> [[2009 swine flu pandemic|A pandemic]] involving the [[Pandemic H1N1/09 virus|H1N1 influenza virus]] was declared by the then director-general [[Margaret Chan]] in April 2009.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2009/06/who-declares-pandemic-novel-h1n1-virus|title=WHO declares pandemic of novel H1N1 virus |work=CIDRAP |access-date=13 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181201093300/http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2009/06/who-declares-pandemic-novel-h1n1-virus |archive-date=1 December 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> Margret Chan declared in 2010 that the H1N1 has moved into the post-pandemic period.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/ |title=Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 |website=World Health Organization |access-date=13 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171207110028/http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/ |archive-date=7 December 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref> By the post-pandemic period, critics claimed the WHO had exaggerated the danger, spreading "fear and confusion" rather than "immediate information".<ref>{{cite news |date=12 April 2010 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna36421914 |title=WHO admits errors in handling flu pandemic: Agency accused of overplaying danger of the virus as it swept the globe |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525025823/https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna36421914 |archive-date=25 May 2024 |work=[[NBC News]]}}</ref> Industry experts countered that the 2009 pandemic had led to "unprecedented collaboration between global health authorities, scientists and manufacturers, resulting in the most comprehensive pandemic response ever undertaken, with a number of vaccines approved for use three months after the pandemic declaration. This response was only possible because of the extensive preparations undertaken during the last decade".<ref>{{cite journal |last=Abelina |first=A. |year=2011 |title=Lessons from pandemic influenza A(H1N1) The research-based vaccine industry's perspective |journal=Vaccine |volume=29 |issue=6 |pages=1135–1138 |doi=10.1016/j.vaccine.2010.11.042 |display-authors=etal |pmid=21115061 |doi-access=free}}</ref>

The 2012–2013 WHO budget identified five areas among which funding was distributed.<ref name="WHO">{{cite web |url=http://whqlibdoc.who.int/pb/2012-2013/PB_2012%E2%80%932013_eng.pdf |title=Programme Budget, 2012–2013 |publisher=WHO |access-date=26 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120617074331/http://whqlibdoc.who.int/pb/2012-2013/PB_2012%E2%80%932013_eng.pdf |archive-date=17 June 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>{{rp|5, 20}} Two of those five areas related to [[communicable diseases]]: the first, to reduce the "health, social and economic burden" of communicable diseases in general; the second to combat [[HIV/AIDS]], [[malaria]] and [[tuberculosis]] in particular.<ref name="WHO"/>{{rp|5, 26}}

{{As of|2015}}, the World Health Organization has worked within the [[UNAIDS]] network and strives to involve sections of society other than health to help deal with the economic and social effects of [[HIV/AIDS]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Global health sector strategy on HIV/AIDS 2011–2015 |publisher=WHO |url=http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2011/9789241501651_eng.pdf |year=2011 |page=5 |access-date=23 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150513171221/http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2011/9789241501651_eng.pdf |archive-date=13 May 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> In line with UNAIDS, WHO has set itself the interim task between 2009 and 2015 of reducing the number of those aged 15–24 years who are infected by 50%; reducing new HIV infections in children by 90%; and reducing HIV-related deaths by 25%.<ref>{{cite web |title=Global health sector strategy on HIV/AIDS 2011–2015 |url=http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2011/9789241501651_eng.pdf |publisher=WHO |year=2011 |page=7 |access-date=23 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150513171221/http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2011/9789241501651_eng.pdf |archive-date=13 May 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The World Health Organization's definition of neglected tropical disease has been criticized to be restrictive (focusing only on communicable diseases) and described as a form of epistemic injustice, where conditions like snakebite are forced to be framed as a medical problem.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Bhaumik |first1=Soumyadeep |last2=Zwi |first2=Anthony B. |last3=Norton |first3=Robyn |last4=Jagnoor |first4=Jagnoor |date=1 August 2023 |title=How and why snakebite became a global health priority: a policy analysis |url=https://gh.bmj.com/content/8/8/e011923 |journal=[[BMJ Global Health]] |language=en |volume=8 |issue=8 |pages=e011923 |doi=10.1136/bmjgh-2023-011923 |issn=2059-7908 |pmid=37604596 |pmc=10445399 |access-date=25 August 2023 |archive-date=24 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230824061447/https://gh.bmj.com/content/8/8/e011923 |url-status=live}}</ref>