(introduction...)

SAFE MOTHERHOOD

MATERNAL HEALTH AND SAFE MOTHERHOOD PROGRAMME
DIVISION OF FAMILY HEALTH
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
GENEVA

Practical Guide

WHO/FHE/MSM/94.1
DISTR.: GENERAL

The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations with primary responsibility for international health matters and public health. Through this organization, which was created in 1948, the health professions of some 189 countries exchange their knowledge and experience with the aim of making possible the attainment by all citizens of the world by the year 2000 of a level of health that will permit them to lead a socially and economically productive life.

By means of direct technical cooperation with its Member States, and by stimulating such cooperation among them, WHO promotes the development of comprehensive health services, the prevention and control of diseases, the improvement of environmental conditions, the development of health manpower, the coordination and development of biomedical and health services research, and the planning and implementation of health programmes.

These broad fields of endeavour encompass a wide variety of activities, such as developing systems of primary health care that reach the whole population of Member countries; promoting the health of mothers and children; combating malnutrition; controlling malaria and other communicable diseases including tuberculosis and leprosy; having achieved the eradication of smallpox, promoting mass immunization against a number of other preventable diseases; improving mental health; providing safe water supplies; and training health personnel of all categories.

Progress towards better health throughout the world also demands international cooperation in such matters as establishing international standards for biological substances, pesticides and pharmaceuticals; formulating environmental health criteria; recommending international non-proprietary names for drugs; administering the International Health Regulations; revising the International Classification of Diseases, Injuries, and Causes of Death; and collecting and disseminating health statistical information.

Further information on many aspects of WHO's work is presented in the Organization's publications.

Cover design by Marilyn Langfeld
© World Health Organization, 1994

This document is issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) for general distribution. All rights are reserved. Subject to due acknowledgement to WHO, this document may, however, be freely reviewed, abstracted, reproduced or translated, in part or in whole, provided that such is not done for or in conjunction with commercial purposes and provided that, if it is intended to translate or reproduce the entire work, or substantial portions thereof, prior application is made to Maternal Health and Safe Motherhood, Division of Family Health, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.

The views expressed in documents by named authors are solely the responsibility of those authors.