The World Health Organization (WHO) is the United Nations specialized agency for health, established on April 7, 1948.

WHO's objective is the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health. Health is defined in WHO's constitution as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

WHO's Prevention of Blindness and Deafness team (PBD) develops strategies for prevention and control of blindness, deafness and hearing impairment. Team members, together with many partners in the field, including NGOs and WHO collaborating centres, work with governments and country-based teams to support the implementation of national strategies for prevention of blindness.

In addition to facilitating ongoing strategic planning, the PBD team co-ordinates the collection and dissemination at national, regional, and global data that reflect the burden of visual and hearing impairment and the implementation of programme strategies.