The World Health Organization (WHO) plays a pivotal role in strengthening Indian national health programmes by providing technical guidance, setting norms, supporting surveillance, and building public health capacity. WHO partners with government agencies on immunization (UIP), tuberculosis (NTEP/RNTCP), malaria, HIV, maternal and child health, non-communicable diseases (NPCDCS), and health systems strengthening including essential medicines and pharmacovigilance. WHO also assists with laboratory networks, disease outbreak response under the International Health Regulations, vaccine prequalification, and monitoring & evaluation. This topic is essential for B. Pharm students to understand global-health linkage to national policies and the pharmacist’s role in programme implementation. Now let’s test your knowledge with 30 MCQs on this topic.
Q1. What is a core function of the World Health Organization (WHO) in national health programmes?
- Managing hospital pharmacies directly
- Setting international health norms and standards
- Providing universal funding to all health programmes
- Operating private clinics
Correct Answer: Setting international health norms and standards
Q2. Which WHO activity most directly supports India’s Universal Immunization Programme (UIP)?
- Developing hospital accreditation systems
- Providing cold chain guidance, vaccine policy and training
- Running pharmaceutical manufacturing plants
- Issuing medical licenses
Correct Answer: Providing cold chain guidance, vaccine policy and training
Q3. How does WHO assist tuberculosis control in India?
- By supplying all TB medicines free to patients
- By offering technical guidance on diagnosis, DOTS strategy and surveillance
- By replacing the national TB programme governance
- By manufacturing TB vaccines
Correct Answer: By offering technical guidance on diagnosis, DOTS strategy and surveillance
Q4. What does WHO prequalification (PQ) primarily ensure?
- Reduced price of medicines worldwide
- Quality, safety and efficacy of medicines and vaccines for procurement
- Exclusive supplier rights to manufacturers
- Mandatory national registration of imported drugs
Correct Answer: Quality, safety and efficacy of medicines and vaccines for procurement
Q5. Which WHO instrument guides countries to prevent international spread of disease?
- Essential Medicines List
- International Health Regulations (IHR)
- DOTS Strategy
- Universal Health Coverage Charter
Correct Answer: International Health Regulations (IHR)
Q6. How does WHO support pharmacovigilance in India?
- By directly collecting all adverse event reports from patients
- By providing technical guidance, training and global signal detection support
- By approving all new drugs for market
- By manufacturing safety monitoring software
Correct Answer: By providing technical guidance, training and global signal detection support
Q7. WHO’s Model List of Essential Medicines (EML) helps national programmes by:
- Recommending medicines for universal procurement and rational use
- Mandating a single supplier for each drug
- Banning generic medicines
- Setting retail prices for drugs
Correct Answer: Recommending medicines for universal procurement and rational use
Q8. In the polio eradication partnership in India, WHO primarily contributed by:
- Producing polio vaccines domestically
- Providing surveillance, technical support and campaign coordination
- Running all vaccination centres
- Replacing the National Polio Program leadership
Correct Answer: Providing surveillance, technical support and campaign coordination
Q9. Which program name corresponds to India’s national TB initiative supported by WHO?
- National Malaria Control Programme
- Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) / National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP)
- National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme
- National Leprosy Eradication Programme
Correct Answer: Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) / National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP)
Q10. WHO guidance on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) for India includes:
- Recommendations for increased antibiotic sales
- Strategies for surveillance, stewardship programs and infection prevention
- Elimination of all antibiotics from essential lists
- Mandating antibiotics for viral infections
Correct Answer: Strategies for surveillance, stewardship programs and infection prevention
Q11. Which activity is NOT typically provided by WHO to strengthen public health laboratories?
- Training laboratory personnel and quality assurance
- Providing guidance on biosafety and diagnostic algorithms
- Directly owning and operating all national labs
- Supporting laboratory networks and external quality assessment
Correct Answer: Directly owning and operating all national labs
Q12. WHO supports India’s Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) programme by:
- Developing clinical guidelines, surveillance tools and prevention strategies
- Providing unlimited drugs for diabetes
- Banning all tobacco products
- Running cardiology hospitals
Correct Answer: Developing clinical guidelines, surveillance tools and prevention strategies
Q13. Which WHO initiative helps ensure vaccines used in India meet global standards?
- Global Drug Price Index
- Vaccine Prequalification Programme
- Essential Diagnostic Initiative
- Global Hospital Accreditation
Correct Answer: Vaccine Prequalification Programme
Q14. How does WHO contribute to monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of national health programmes?
- By replacing national M&E units
- By providing standardized indicators, tools and technical training
- By independently auditing all budgets
- By distributing patient medicines
Correct Answer: By providing standardized indicators, tools and technical training
Q15. WHO’s role in outbreak response in India commonly includes:
- Issuing national laws without consultation
- Providing epidemiologic expertise, laboratory support and risk communication
- Running national emergency rooms
- Manufacturing diagnostic kits locally
Correct Answer: Providing epidemiologic expertise, laboratory support and risk communication
Q16. Which WHO document influences India’s selection of essential medicines?
- WHO Model List of Essential Medicines (EML)
- WHO Hospital Building Manual
- WHO Travel Guidelines
- WHO Food Safety Code
Correct Answer: WHO Model List of Essential Medicines (EML)
Q17. WHO assists India in reporting and assessing adverse events following immunization (AEFI) by:
- Providing clinical care to patients
- Offering guidance on AEFI surveillance, causality assessment and training
- Compensating all affected families
- Replacing the national immunization safety committee
Correct Answer: Offering guidance on AEFI surveillance, causality assessment and training
Q18. Which WHO-supported approach improves rational use of medicines in India?
- Encouraging over-the-counter antibiotic sales
- Developing treatment guidelines, Essential Medicines Lists and stewardship training
- Prohibiting generic prescriptions
- Increasing pharmaceutical advertising in hospitals
Correct Answer: Developing treatment guidelines, Essential Medicines Lists and stewardship training
Q19. What is one way WHO strengthens the health workforce in India?
- Hiring all nurses in government hospitals
- Providing capacity building, training modules and technical support
- Removing licensing requirements
- Standardizing private sector salaries
Correct Answer: Providing capacity building, training modules and technical support
Q20. WHO’s role in surveillance systems includes:
- Collecting taxes for health programmes
- Developing standard case definitions, reporting tools and data analysis methods
- Operating all primary health centres
- Manufacturing surveillance software commercially
Correct Answer: Developing standard case definitions, reporting tools and data analysis methods
Q21. Which national Indian programme focuses on vector-borne diseases and receives WHO support?
- National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO)
- National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP)
- National Oral Health Programme
- Program for Rare Diseases
Correct Answer: National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP)
Q22. How does WHO help with national policy development in India?
- By unilaterally issuing laws
- By providing evidence-based guidance, policy briefs and technical consultations
- By funding political campaigns
- By running national parliaments
Correct Answer: By providing evidence-based guidance, policy briefs and technical consultations
Q23. WHO contribution to maternal and child health programmes typically includes:
- Supplying all prenatal vitamins free of cost
- Developing guidelines for antenatal care, breastfeeding and newborn management
- Operating maternity hospitals nationwide
- Replacing national midwifery training
Correct Answer: Developing guidelines for antenatal care, breastfeeding and newborn management
Q24. The WHO Global TB strategy that guides India is called:
- End TB Strategy
- Global Malaria Eradication Strategy
- Smallpox Eradication Plan
- Polio Initiative
Correct Answer: End TB Strategy
Q25. Which of the following best describes WHO’s partnership role with India’s Ministry of Health?
- A regulatory body that issues drug licenses
- A technical partner providing expertise, guidance and coordination
- An auditor for hospital finances only
- A private healthcare operator
Correct Answer: A technical partner providing expertise, guidance and coordination
Q26. WHO’s surveillance of influenza-like illness (ILI) helps India by:
- Predicting local weather patterns
- Detecting respiratory virus trends and informing vaccine composition and preparedness
- Replacing clinical diagnosis in hospitals
- Offering influenza drugs to all citizens
Correct Answer: Detecting respiratory virus trends and informing vaccine composition and preparedness
Q27. Which WHO tool helps countries measure progress toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC)?
- Vaccination Campaign Manual
- UHC monitoring framework with tracer indicators
- Global Pharmaceutical Pricing List
- Hospital Design Standards
Correct Answer: UHC monitoring framework with tracer indicators
Q28. WHO support for quality assurance of medicines in India includes:
- Guidance on good manufacturing practices (GMP) and regulatory strengthening
- Operating all drug testing labs privately
- Setting retail shop hours for pharmacies
- Ceasing all drug exports
Correct Answer: Guidance on good manufacturing practices (GMP) and regulatory strengthening
Q29. Which statement reflects WHO’s role in evidence generation for national programmes?
- WHO ignores local research
- WHO supports operational research, data analysis and guideline development
- WHO only funds research outside India
- WHO replaces all national research institutions
Correct Answer: WHO supports operational research, data analysis and guideline development
Q30. For a B. Pharm student, why is understanding WHO’s role in national programmes important?
- It is irrelevant to pharmacy practice
- It helps pharmacists contribute to public health, rational drug use and programme implementation
- It only benefits medical doctors
- It replaces the need for clinical knowledge
Correct Answer: It helps pharmacists contribute to public health, rational drug use and programme implementation
I am a Registered Pharmacist under the Pharmacy Act, 1948, and the founder of PharmacyFreak.com. I hold a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from Rungta College of Pharmaceutical Science and Research. With a strong academic foundation and practical knowledge, I am committed to providing accurate, easy-to-understand content to support pharmacy students and professionals. My aim is to make complex pharmaceutical concepts accessible and useful for real-world application.
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