Section A: Health Agencies

Although the individual is ultimately responsible for personal health decisions, governments and non-profit agencies (sometimes referred to as non-governmental organizations or NGOs) play a major role in disease control and prevention by working together to provide health information and services to the public. Whether it is a local health agency or an international organization, each is working to fulfill a mission that contributes to the overall health of the people it serves.

For most of us, health decisions are individual choices. However, people do not always have access to resources for making informed decisions. It is for this reason that many of the non-profit health agencies exist. These agencies work to provide resources and access to services. This work includes tracking disease, conducting research, preventing the spread of disease, and providing nutritional, financial, and medical resources and services within and across nations and borders to reach people in need.

In this section, you will examine some international agencies and assess their contribution to international health issues.