On 16th October, 2012 to The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that is concerned with international public health. It was established on 07th April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Since its creation, WHP has been responsible for playing a leading role in the eradication of smallpox. Its current priorities include communicable diseases, in particular, HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis. Sri Lanka, then known as Ceylon became party to the WHO on 28th June 1948. As of 2012, the WHO has 194 member states.

The WHO’s constitution states that its objective “is the attainment by all people of the highest possible level of health”.

The World Health Organization, being a specialized technical agency of the United Nations, is mandated to provide Sri Lanka with technical and financial support in the sphere of health. WHO began working with the Government of Sri Lanka since 1952, the year when the first WHO office was opened at the Galle Face Hotel. The first WHO Area Representative to Ceylon was Dr. R. L. Tuli (1952 – 1956).