U S Government Accountability Office

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services U S Government Accountability Office

WHO is the directing and coordinatingauthority for global health within theUnited Nations (UN) system. In 2012, member states approved a reformagenda addressing three areas: (1)priority-setting, to refocus its effortsand establish a process to determinepriorities; (2) governance, to improvethe effectiveness of its governingbodies and strengthen engagementwith other stakeholders; and (3)management, including humanresources, results-based planning, andaccountability. The United States is akey participant in WHOs governingbodies and the largest donor, contributing about $219 million, or 22percent, to WHOs assessed budgetfor 2010 and 2011, and more than$475 million, or about 16 percent, toWHOs voluntary budget. As thelargest financial contributor to the UN, the United States has advocated forcomprehensive management reformthroughout the UN system, includingWHO. This report examines (1) thesteps WHO has taken to develop andimplement a reform agenda that alignswith the challenges identified bystakeholders and (2) the input theUnited States has provided to WHOreforms. GAO analyzed WHO and U. S.government documents andinterviewed officials and stakeholdersin Washington, D. C., and Geneva, Switzerl