Evolving focus of the WHO Global Programme of Work

Part 1: WHO over the past 20 years

The World Health Organization (WHO) Global Programme of Work (GPW) is a strategic document that sets the organization's priorities and direction during a given period. It has evolved over the past 20 years and serves as a high-level ‘roadmap’ for global health, guiding WHO's work in support of Member States and partners. The GPW is developed through extensive consultation with WHO Member States, experts and key stakeholders, and is approved by the World Health Assembly.

Key aspects of the WHO GPW include:

• Strategic objectives: Outlines specific goals and targets for global health.
• Resource allocation: It provides a framework for decision-making and resource allocation within the organization.
• Biennial programme budget: The GPW forms the basis for WHO's biennial programme budget, which translates the strategy into deliverables and budget requirements.
• Results framework: The GPW includes a results framework to measure progress towards its goals and targets.

The current, Fourteenth GPW (GPW 14) covers the period 2025 to 2028 and aims to reinvigorate actions needed to achieve the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while also ‘future-proofing’ health systems. Its overarching vision is to promote, provide and protect the health and well-being of all people, everywhere.

Here is brief summary of the major shifts in the WHO GPW over two decades and four successive versions, focusing on the transitions from GPW 11 to 12, GPW 12 to 13, and GPW 13 to 14, with a particular emphasis on the similarities and differences between GPW 13 and GPW 14.

GPW 11 to 12: From ‘gaps’ to leadership priorities

The transition from GPW 11 (2006–2015) to GPW 12 (2014–2019) reflected a shift from a focus on addressing gaps in global health responses to a more proactive articulation of WHO leadership priorities.

• GPW 11 set out six core functions for the Organization, and framed the global health agenda in terms of bridging gaps in social justice, responsibility, implementation and knowledge.
• GPW 12, while acknowledging the continuity of these challenges, shifted the emphasis to specific leadership priorities where WHO aimed to "shape global health cooperation". These priorities include advancing universal health coverage (UHC), addressing the Millennium Development Goals, tackling noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), and strengthening health systems.

This shift signalled a more proactive and targeted approach to global health challenges, with WHO taking a more prominent role in shaping the global health agenda.

GPW 12 to 13: Embracing the SDGs and transforming for impact

The transition from GPW 12 to GPW 13 (2019–2023) marked a significant shift towards embracing the SDGs and transforming WHO's operational model to drive greater impact.

• GPW 13 explicitly aligned its strategic priorities with the SDGs, particularly Goal 3: "Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages".
• GPW 13 also introduced a set of "strategic shifts" to guide WHO's implementation. These shifts included: Stepping up leadership at all levels. Driving impact in every country through a differentiated approach. Focusing global public goods on impact.

These shifts represented a move towards a more results-oriented and country-centric approach, with a greater emphasis on measuring impact and ensuring that WHO's global efforts translate into tangible improvements in health outcomes at the country level.

GPW 13 to 14: Continuity with refinement and realignment

The recent shift from GPW 13 to GPW 14 (2025–2028) suggests a continuation of the strategic direction set by GPW 13, with refinements and realignment to address the evolving global health landscape.

• Continuity: GPW 14 retains the overarching goal of "promoting, providing, and protecting health" and the commitment to the SDGs that was central to GPW 13. GPW 14 maintains a focus on measurable impact in countries and the use of the "triple billion targets" introduced in GPW 13 as key performance indicators, albeit recalibrated to reflect the changing health context.
• Refinement and realignment: GPW 14 explicitly acknowledges the impact of recent global events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and incorporates lessons learned from this experience. GPW 14 introduces an overarching theory of change to articulate how WHO's work will contribute to achieving its strategic objectives. GPW 14 places stronger emphasis on data and health information systems, reflecting their critical role in driving effective health interventions.

The transition from GPW 13 to GPW 14 appears to be less of a radical departure and more of a strategic evolution. GPW 14 builds upon the foundations laid by GPW 13, adapting and refining its approach to address the evolving global health landscape and to strengthen WHO's capacity to deliver measurable impact in countries.

Overall evolution

The WHO Global Programme of Work has undergone significant shifts in focus over the past two decades, moving from addressing gaps in global health to a more proactive approach emphasizing leadership, strategic alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and a focus on measurable impact in countries. The overall evolution from GPW 11 to GPW 14 reflects a growing recognition of the need for a holistic, results-oriented, and country-centric approach to global health challenges.

While each GPW builds upon the previous one, they also adapt to address the changing global health landscape and strengthen the WHO's capacity to improve health outcomes.

As the GPW continues to evolve, it is helpful to look back at some key global health milestones over the past 20 years that led to the strategic shifts we see in the current GPW and consider how they have shaped the direction of the organization. I'll do that in Part 2 of this mini-series of articles.