WHO’s procurement activities in 2021

May 17, 2022 September 13, 2022

Olivier Greslard

his report provides information on WHO’s procurement activities in 2021. It covers procurement of goods and services, and also includes COVID-19-related procurement.

The intended audience for the report is WHO staff, Member States, external partners and it is also available for general public consumption.

Introduction
Founded in 1948, WHO is the United Nations agency that connects nations, partners and people to promote
health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable – so everyone, everywhere can attain the highest level of
health.
WHO leads global efforts to expand universal health coverage. It directs and coordinates the world’s response to
health emergencies. And it promotes healthier lives – from pregnancy care through old age. WHO’s Triple Billion
targets outline an ambitious plan for the world to achieve good health for all, using science-based policies and
programmes.
WHO procures and supplies on a yearly basis a significant amount of goods and services to enable its important
public health mandate, and is thus a critical function of the organization.
The WHO Procurement Report, which has been published since 2020, provides an overview of procurement at
WHO, details essential procurement data for the year, and showcases key initiatives and highlights. This report is
produced in line with WHO’s commitment to transparency and for the benefit of WHO Member States, donors,
partners, WHO staff, the supplier community and other stakeholders.
The WHO Procurement Report complements the Annual Statistical Report on United Nations Procurement (ASR)
to which WHO contributes and that provides an overview of procurement data of approximately forty
organizations within the United Nations (UN) system. The ASR is available on the United Nations Global
Marketplace (UNGM) and includes interactive data dashboards1
.