A historical perspective on international health

Abstract

Between about 1875 and the early twentieth century, most major disease pathogens were identified and their epidemiology clarified. The technical and material developments of the nineteenth century led to a form of practical internationalism that was expressed also in the health sector. The Pan American Health Organization was established in 1902 to coordinate health issues in the Western Hemisphere. The Health Office of the League of Nations, now little known, played an important role in the 1920s and 1930s, particularly in the control of epidemic diseases in Eastern Europe and later in nutrition. The general framework of the League Health Office became the basis of the World Health Organization, founded in 1946. Certain international agencies play a special role in health; of these, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Bank have a worldwide role. The Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama (INCAP) and the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) are examples of essentially regional organizations with considerable influence. Private voluntary organizations, missions, and foundations have also had a substantial effect on health in certain circumstances.