STATUS AS AT : 16-03-2025 09:15:55 EDT
CHAPTER IX
HEALTH
1 . Constitution of the World Health Organization
New York, 22 July 1946
Entry into force
:
7 April 1948, in accordance with article 80.
Registration :
7 April 1948, No. 221
Status :
Signatories : 59. Parties : 194
Text :
United Nations,  Treaty Series , vol. 14, p. 185 (with regard to the text of subsequent amendments, see further under each series of amendments).
Note :
The Constitution was drawn up by the International Health Conference, which had been convened pursuant to resolution l (I)1 of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, adopted on 15 February 1946.  The Conference was held at New York from 19 June to 22 July 1946.  In addition to the Constitution, the Conference drew up the Final Act, the Arrangements for the Establishment of an Interim Commission of the World Health Organization and the Protocol concerning the  Office international d'hygiène publique , for the text of which, see United Nations,  Treaty Series , vol. 9, p. 3.
Participant 2, 3, 4
Signature
 Definitive signature(s), Acceptance(A)
Afghanistan
   19 Apr 1948 A
Albania
 22 Jul 1946
26 May 1947 A
Algeria
    8 Nov 1962 A
Andorra
   15 Jan 1997 A
Angola
   15 May 1976 A
Antigua and Barbuda
   12 Mar 1984 A
Argentina
 22 Jul 1946
22 Oct 1948 A
Armenia
    4 May 1992 A
Australia
 22 Jul 1946
 2 Feb 1948 A
Austria
 22 Jul 1946
30 Jun 1947 A
Azerbaijan
    2 Oct 1992 A
Bahamas
    1 Apr 1974 A
Bahrain
    2 Nov 1971 A
Bangladesh
   19 May 1972 A
Barbados
   25 Apr 1967 A
Belarus
 22 Jul 1946
 7 Apr 1948 A
Belgium
 22 Jul 1946
25 Jun 1948 A
Belize
   23 Aug 1990 A
Benin
   20 Sep 1960 A
Bhutan
    8 Mar 1982 A
Bolivia (Plurinational State of)
 22 Jul 1946
23 Dec 1949 A
Bosnia and Herzegovina
   10 Sep 1992 A
Botswana
   26 Feb 1975 A
Brazil
 22 Jul 1946
 2 Jun 1948 A
Brunei Darussalam
   25 Mar 1985 A
Bulgaria
 22 Jul 1946
 9 Jun 1948 A
Burkina Faso
    4 Oct 1960 A
Burundi
   22 Oct 1962 A
Cabo Verde
    5 Jan 1976 A
Cambodia
   17 May 1950 A
Cameroon
    6 May 1960 A
Canada
 22 Jul 1946
29 Aug 1946 A
Central African Republic
   20 Sep 1960 A
Chad
    1 Jan 1961 A
Chile
 22 Jul 1946
15 Oct 1948 A
China 4, 5, 6
  22 Jul 1946 s
Colombia
 22 Jul 1946
14 May 1959 A
Comoros
    9 Dec 1975 A
Congo
   26 Oct 1960 A
Cook Islands
    9 May 1984 A
Costa Rica
 22 Jul 1946
17 Mar 1949 A
Côte d'Ivoire
   28 Oct 1960 A
Croatia
   11 Jun 1992 A
Cuba
 22 Jul 1946
 9 May 1950 A
Cyprus
   16 Jan 1961 A
Czech Republic 7
  22 Jan 1993 A
Democratic People's Republic of Korea
   19 May 1973 A
Democratic Republic of the Congo
   24 Feb 1961 A
Denmark
 22 Jul 1946
19 Apr 1948 A
Djibouti
   10 Mar 1978 A
Dominica
   13 Aug 1981 A
Dominican Republic
 22 Jul 1946
21 Jun 1948 A
Ecuador
 22 Jul 1946
 1 Mar 1949 A
Egypt
 22 Jul 1946
16 Dec 1947 A
El Salvador
 22 Jul 1946
22 Jun 1948 A
Equatorial Guinea
    5 May 1980 A
Eritrea
   24 Jul 1993 A
Estonia
   31 Mar 1993 A
Eswatini
   16 Apr 1973 A
Ethiopia
 22 Jul 1946
11 Apr 1947 A
Fiji
    1 Jan 1972 A
Finland
 22 Jul 1946
 7 Oct 1947 A
France
 22 Jul 1946
16 Jun 1948 A
Gabon
   21 Nov 1960 A
Gambia
   26 Apr 1971 A
Georgia
   26 May 1992 A
Germany 8, 9
  29 May 1951 A
Ghana
    8 Apr 1957 A
Greece
 22 Jul 1946
12 Mar 1948 A
Grenada
    4 Dec 1974 A
Guatemala
 22 Jul 1946
26 Aug 1949 A
Guinea
   19 May 1959 A
Guinea-Bissau
   29 Jul 1974 A
Guyana
   27 Sep 1966 A
Haiti
 22 Jul 1946
12 Aug 1947 A
Honduras
 22 Jul 1946
 8 Apr 1949 A
Hungary
 19 Feb 1947
17 Jun 1948 A
Iceland
   17 Jun 1948 A
India
 22 Jul 1946
12 Jan 1948 A
Indonesia
   23 May 1950 A
Iran (Islamic Republic of)
 22 Jul 1946
23 Nov 1946 A
Iraq
 22 Jul 1946
23 Sep 1947 A
Ireland
 22 Jul 1946
20 Oct 1947 A
Israel
   21 Jun 1949 A
Italy
 22 Jul 1946
11 Apr 1947 A
Jamaica
   21 Mar 1963 A
Japan
   16 May 1951 A
Jordan
 22 Jul 1946
 7 Apr 1947 A
Kazakhstan
   19 Aug 1992 A
Kenya
   27 Jan 1964 A
Kiribati
   26 Jul 1984 A
Kuwait
    9 May 1960 A
Kyrgyzstan
   29 Apr 1992 A
Lao People's Democratic Republic
   17 May 1950 A
Latvia
    4 Dec 1991 A
Lebanon
 22 Jul 1946
19 Jan 1949 A
Lesotho
    7 Jul 1967 A
Liberia
 22 Jul 1946
14 Mar 1947 A
Libya
   16 May 1952 A
Lithuania
   25 Nov 1991 A
Luxembourg
 22 Jul 1946
 3 Jun 1949 A
Madagascar
   16 Jan 1961 A
Malawi
    9 Apr 1965 A
Malaysia
   24 Apr 1958 A
Maldives
    5 Nov 1965 A
Mali
   17 Oct 1960 A
Malta
    1 Feb 1965 A
Marshall Islands
    5 Jun 1991 A
Mauritania
    7 Mar 1961 A
Mauritius
    9 Dec 1968 A
Mexico
 22 Jul 1946
 7 Apr 1948 A
Micronesia (Federated States of)
   14 Aug 1991 A
Monaco
    8 Jul 1948 A
Mongolia
   18 Apr 1962 A
Montenegro
   29 Aug 2006 A
Morocco
   14 May 1956 A
Mozambique
   11 Sep 1975 A
Myanmar
    1 Jul 1948 A
Namibia
   23 Apr 1990 A
Nauru
    9 May 1994 A
Nepal
    2 Sep 1953 A
Netherlands (Kingdom of the)
 22 Jul 1946
25 Apr 1947 A
New Zealand 10
22 Jul 1946
10 Dec 1946 A
Nicaragua
 22 Jul 1946
24 Apr 1950 A
Niger
    5 Oct 1960 A
Nigeria
   25 Nov 1960 A
Niue
    5 May 1994 A
North Macedonia
   22 Apr 1993 A
Norway
 22 Jul 1946
18 Aug 1947 A
Oman
   28 May 1971 A
Pakistan
   23 Jun 1948 A
Palau
    9 Mar 1995 A
Panama
 22 Jul 1946
20 Feb 1951 A
Papua New Guinea
   29 Apr 1976 A
Paraguay
 22 Jul 1946
 4 Jan 1949 A
Peru
 22 Jul 1946
11 Nov 1949 A
Philippines
 22 Jul 1946
 9 Jul 1948 A
Poland
 22 Jul 1946
 6 May 1948 A
Portugal
 22 Jul 1946
13 Feb 1948 A
Qatar
   11 May 1972 A
Republic of Korea
   17 Aug 1949 A
Republic of Moldova
    4 May 1992 A
Romania
    8 Jun 1948 A
Russian Federation
 22 Jul 1946
24 Mar 1948 A
Rwanda
    7 Nov 1962 A
Samoa
   16 May 1962 A
San Marino
   12 May 1980 A
Sao Tome and Principe
   23 Mar 1976 A
Saudi Arabia
 22 Jul 1946
26 May 1947 A
Senegal
   31 Oct 1960 A
Serbia
   28 Nov 2000 A
Seychelles
   11 Sep 1979 A
Sierra Leone
   20 Oct 1961 A
Singapore
   25 Feb 1966 A
Slovakia 7
   4 Feb 1993 A
Slovenia
    7 May 1992 A
Solomon Islands
    4 Apr 1983 A
Somalia
   26 Jan 1961 A
South Africa
 22 Jul 1946
 7 Aug 1947 A
South Sudan
   27 Sep 2011 A
Spain
   28 May 1951 A
Sri Lanka
    7 Jul 1948 A
St. Kitts and Nevis
    3 Dec 1984 A
St. Lucia
   11 Nov 1980 A
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
    1 Sep 1983 A
Sudan
   14 May 1956 A
Suriname
   25 Mar 1976 A
Sweden
 13 Jan 1947
28 Aug 1947 A
Switzerland
 22 Jul 1946
26 Mar 1947 A
Syrian Arab Republic
 22 Jul 1946
18 Dec 1946 A
Tajikistan
    4 May 1992 A
Thailand
 22 Jul 1946
26 Sep 1947 A
Timor-Leste
   27 Sep 2002 A
Togo
   13 May 1960 A
Tonga
   14 Aug 1975 A
Trinidad and Tobago
    3 Jan 1963 A
Tunisia
   14 May 1956 A
Türkiye
 22 Jul 1946
 2 Jan 1948 A
Turkmenistan
    2 Jul 1992 A
Tuvalu
    7 May 1993 A
Uganda
    7 Mar 1963 A
Ukraine
 22 Jul 1946
 3 Apr 1948 A
United Arab Emirates
   30 Mar 1972 A
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
   22 Jul 1946 s
United Republic of Tanzania
   15 Mar 1962 A
United States of America 11
22 Jul 1946
21 Jun 1948 A
Uruguay
 22 Jul 1946
22 Apr 1949 A
Uzbekistan
   22 May 1992 A
Vanuatu
    7 Mar 1983 A
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
 22 Jul 1946
 7 Jul 1948 A
Viet Nam 12
  17 May 1950 A
Yemen 13
   6 May 1968 A
Zambia
    2 Feb 1965 s
Zimbabwe
   16 May 1980 A
End Note
1.Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, First Session, Supplement No. 1 , p. 86.
2.The former Yugoslavia had signed and accepted the Constitution on 22 July 1946 and 19 November 1947, respectively. See also note 1 under “Bosnia and Herzegovina", "Croatia", "former Yugoslavia", "Slovenia", "The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" and "Yugoslavia"  in the "Historical Information" section in the front matter of this volume.
3.Accepted for Tanganyika on 15 March 1962 and for Zanzibar on 29 February 1964. See also note 1 under “United Republic of Tanzania” in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume.
4.See note concerning signatures, ratifications, accessions, etc., on behalf of China (note 1 under “China” in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume).
5.See  note 3 under “China” regarding Macao in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume.
6.See  note 2 under “China” regarding Hong Kong in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume.
7.Czechoslovakia had signed and accepted the Convention on 22 July 1946 and 1 March 1948, respectively. See also note 1 under “Czech Republic” and note 1 under “Slovakia” in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume.
8.See  note 1 under “Germany” regarding Berlin (West) in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume.
9.The German Democratic Republic had accepted the Constitution on 8 May 1973.  See also note 2 under “Germany” in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume.
10.See note 1 under “New Zealand” regarding Tokelau in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume.
11.Accepted subject to the provisions of the joint resolution of the Congress of the United States of America approved 14 June 1948 (Public Law 643, 80th Congress), section 4 of which reads as follows: "In adopting this joint resolution the Congress does so with the understanding that, in the absence of any provision in the World Health Organization Constitution for withdrawal from the organization, the United States reserves its right to withdraw from the organization on a one-year notice, provided, however, that the financial obligations of the United States to the organization shall be met in full for the organization's current fiscal year."

"The World Health Assembly adopted unanimously on 2 July 1948 the following resolution: "The Assembly recognized the validity of the ratification by the United States of America and resolved that the Secretary-General of the United Nations be advised of this decision."
12.By a letter dated at Hanoi on 12 July 1976, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Socialist Republic of Viet-Nam notified the Director-General of the World Health Organization that the Democratic Republic of Viet-Nam and the Republic of South Viet-Nam had united to form the Socialist Republic of Viet-Nam, and that the latter would continue to exercise the official membership in the World Health Organization of the Democratic Republic of Viet-Nam and the Republic of South Viet-Nam.  The above-mentioned communication from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Socialist Republic of Viet-Nam was brought to the attention of the Member States of the World Health Organization by a circular letter from the Director-General of that Organization dated 30 August 1976.  The Thirtieth World Health Assembly took note of the said notification in its resolution WHA 30.13 dated 10 May 1977.  The Constitution of the World Health Organization had been accepted on behalf of the Democratic Republic of Viet-Nam on 22 October 1975 (See CN.304.1975-Treaties-22) and on behalf of the Republic of Viet-Nam (later replaced by the Republic of South Viet-Nam) (See CN.86.1950-Treaties) on 17 May 1950. The Amendments to articles 34 and 55 of the Constitution of the World Health Organization had been accepted on behalf of the Republic of Viet-Nam on 28 October 1974 (See CN.285.1974-Treaties-17) and on behalf of the Socialist Republic of Viet-Nam on 10 March 1977 (See CN.48.1977-Treaties-7).
13.Democratic Yemen had accepted the Constitution on 6 May 1968.  See also note 1 under “Yemen” in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume.