Where is the headquarters of the World Health Organization (WHO), the specialised health agency of the United Nations, located?

Introduction / Context:
The World Health Organization (WHO) is the leading international body responsible for global public health. It coordinates worldwide responses to epidemics, supports health systems, and sets health standards. Because of its importance, competitive exams frequently ask about the location of its headquarters. Knowing where WHO is based helps you build a mental map of major world organizations and their host cities.

Given Data / Assumptions:
• The question is about the headquarters of the World Health Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations.
• The options are Geneva, Switzerland; New Delhi, India; London, United Kingdom; and a generic “None of these.”
• It is assumed that you know that many UN agencies related to health and humanitarian affairs are headquartered in Geneva.

Concept / Approach:
The key idea is to connect WHO with the city of Geneva. Geneva is often called the “capital of multilateral diplomacy,” particularly for health and humanitarian issues. WHO, the International Labour Organization and the International Committee of the Red Cross all have major offices there. Therefore, if you recall that WHO is headquartered in Geneva, you immediately know that the correct paired form in the options is “Geneva, Switzerland.”

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that WHO was founded in 1948 as the specialized health agency of the United Nations.Step 2: Remember that its constitution came into force and the first World Health Assembly took place in Geneva, where the organization is based.Step 3: Compare the options and note that “Geneva, Switzerland” exactly matches what most textbooks state as the WHO headquarters.Step 4: Recognize that New Delhi is the capital of India and hosts regional or country offices, but not the global headquarters of WHO.Step 5: Understand that London is a major global city but is not the main WHO headquarters, and therefore “None of these” is unnecessary.

Verification / Alternative Check:
A simple verification method is to remember visual images from news reports: international health emergencies, such as pandemics, are often reported with press conferences showing “World Health Organization, Geneva” on the backdrop. This repeated association between WHO and Geneva, Switzerland, confirms that this option is correct. Official WHO documents also list Geneva as its headquarters location.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
• New Delhi, India: Hosts regional offices and national representations for various international agencies, but it is not the global headquarters of WHO.
• London, United Kingdom: Important in global health research and medicine but does not house the WHO headquarters.
• None of these: This is incorrect because the correct answer is explicitly listed among the options.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates confuse Geneva with other Swiss cities like Bern or with New York, which hosts the main UN headquarters. Another common mistake is overthinking the “None of these” option and ignoring the fact that the exact correct pair is already present. To avoid these errors, memorize that WHO equals Geneva, just as the UN main secretariat equals New York.

Final Answer:
The headquarters of the World Health Organization is in Geneva, Switzerland.