World Health Organisation
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is the United Nations' specialized agency for health. The WHO's objective is the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health. Health is defined in WHO's Constitution as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
World Scouting's ventures with the WHO encompass a wide variety of health issues and are carried out all over the world. These actions are supported by the consultative status granted to World Scouting by the WHO in 1987 and also by the Memorandum of Understanding on Leprosy, which was signed in 1997.
The WHO's definition of health complements World Scouting's holistic view of child development. Joint health projects, like the ongoing Medical Caravans (Egypt) are targeted to children of all ages and their families, meeting various health needs. In addition, World Scouting's exchanges with the WHO are not limited to specific health projects. World Scouting has sent representatives to the WHO's General Assembly on a regular basis and also participated in 2006's “February 23rd Joint WHO/NGO Health Promotion Workshop.”
The impact of leprosy, when taking in account the social and medical aspects, cannot be underestimated. Recognising this, in 1991 World Health Assembly passed a resolution to eliminate leprosy as a public health problem by the year 2000.
