WHO’s current work in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
DPR Korea has been a member of WHO since 1973 but the collaborative program was for many years under national execution. In 1997, a WHO Emergency and Humanitarian Action (EHA) office was established to deal with the deteriorating health and humanitarian situation in DPR Korea.
WHO has since then participated in the annual UN Consolidated Appeals (CAP) for DPR Korea. Resources through the UN Consolidated Appeal and other funding mechanisms have been instrumental to address major public health problems such as tuberculosis, polio eradication, blood safety, strengthening of EPI program and health care service at the community level.
WHO has demonstrated its ability to and mobilize resources and collaborate with donors and national authorities to address some of the immediate public health concerns. The experiences over the years proved that it is possible to effectively implement health programs in DPR Korea in spite of the institutional and the political constraints. The emergency programs have furthermore been an entry point for a broader assessment of the health sector in DPRK.
On 17th November 2001, a full WHO country office was established in Pyongyang, and Dr. Eigil Sorensen was appointed as the first WHO Representative (WR).
The office started with four international and 5 national professional staff and a few support staff. A substantial number of WHO short time consultants and experts visited the country every year for training, capacity building and technical assessments. In March 2003, the first Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS) was prepared to guide the work of WHO in DPR Korea from 2004-2008. As per the provisions of this CCS, the number of international staff and local staff has substantially increased over the years as seen in the Organogram. Presently the Office is guided by the CCS meant for the period 2009-2013.
Besides providing technical assistance for the successful implementation of the WHO collaborative programs in the areas of communicable and non-communicable diseases, mother and child health, nutrition and food safety, essential medicines, laboratory services, Emergency and Humanitarian Action, health systems including telemedicine for patient referrals, capacity building for health, and health promotion, WHO has also assisted the country in strengthening health infrastructure. The salient achievements were the ability to provide the required guidance for the Government in assessment of the general trends in health situation, the preparation of the medium-term strategic plan for health sector and providing technical support in specific preventive and curative areas.
WHO takes active part in the interagency collaboration with other UN agencies, NGOs and donors and Embassies in Pyongyang. A good cooperation between agencies has contributed to effective sharing of information and adoption of common strategies for the work of international organizations in the country.
WHO Country Cooperation Strategy
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea 2014–2019
Executive summary
Health development context and health status of the population
In the past history of 20 years, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPR Korea) has witnessed significant public health challenges. Public health challenges have been associated in large part with external geopolitical factors. These include the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s and international economic sanctions, and the subsequent decline in gross domestic product (GDP) in the 1990s. This triggered a decline in access to health services and coverage, which was evident from poor nutritional outcomes, outbreaks of communicable diseases and rises in maternal, child and infant mortality in the 1990s. Since this period, there has been a steady and gradual improvement in public health services’ access and outcomes, many of which are documented in this CCS. This includes a steady rise in childhood immunization coverage and improved access to healthcare services against TB and malaria. There is evidence tabled in this CCS that demonstrates noticeable improvements in women’s and children’s health care access, particularly in terms of access to emergency obstetric care, immunization and integrated management of childhood illness. Survey data, including census and population based surveys for nutrition are documenting gradual recoveries in nutritional status and maternal and child mortality reductions. DPR Korea has an aging and highly urbanized population. As a result non communicable diseases now represent the primary determinant of morbidity and mortality in the country. The development context is also dominated by the threat of natural catastrophe in the form of floods and droughts, which poses threats to public health services’ access, communicable disease outbreaks and food security.