# World Health Organization API

> World Health Organization returns outbreak reports, country health statistics, and health fact sheets as a workflow and API.

World Health Organization (WHO) lists outbreak reports by disease or tagged country, returning summaries and publication dates. Get country health statistics returns a country’s latest health indicator value and up to 10 years of history; it requires a country and indicator. Get fact sheet returns key facts, an overview, and ordered sections for a required topic listed in the WHO fact-sheet directory.

- Page: https://fous.com/tools/world-health-organization
- Handle: `@world-health-organization`
- Category: [Health](https://fous.com/tools/category/health)
- Source website: https://who.int
- Last verified: Sep 29, 2026

## Methods

### Get country health statistics

Operation `get_country_health_statistics`, version 1. 1 credit per completed call. Failed calls without a completed billing receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted.

Get the latest WHO health statistic for a country, with sex-specific values, its regional value for the same year when available, and up to 10 years of history. Some indicators do not report every sex or a regional value.

**Input**

| Field | Type | Required | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `country` | string | yes | `"Brazil"` | Country name, for example Brazil. |
| `indicator` | string | yes | `"infant mortality"` | Health statistic in plain words, for example infant mortality. |

**Input schema**

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "country",
    "indicator"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "country": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Country name, for example Brazil.",
      "examples": [
        "Brazil"
      ]
    },
    "indicator": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Health statistic in plain words, for example infant mortality.",
      "examples": [
        "infant mortality",
        "life expectancy",
        "adult obesity"
      ]
    }
  },
  "additionalProperties": false,
  "examples": [
    {
      "country": "Brazil",
      "indicator": "infant mortality"
    },
    {
      "country": "Brazil",
      "indicator": "life expectancy"
    },
    {
      "country": "Brazil",
      "indicator": "adult obesity"
    }
  ]
}
```

**Output**

| Field | Type | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `unit` | string or null | `"deaths per 1,000 live births"` | Measurement unit in words, when specified by WHO. |
| `region` | string or null | `"Americas"` | WHO region name. |
| `country` | string | `"Brazil"` | WHO country name. |
| `indicator` | string | `"Infant mortality rate (probability of dying between birth and age 1 per 1000 live births)"` | Official WHO indicator name. |
| `male_value` | number or null | `13.608203825` |  |
| `latest_year` | integer | `2024` |  |
| `source_link` | string | `"https://ghoapi.azureedge.net/api/MDG_0000000001?%24filter=SpatialDim+eq+%27BRA%27&%24orderby=TimeDim+desc"` | Link to the WHO source data for this country and indicator. |
| `female_value` | number or null | `10.841855023` |  |
| `region_value` | number or null | `10.911642148` | Regional value for the latest country year. |
| `both_sexes_value` | number or null | `12.260427311` |  |
| `historical_values` | array |  |  |
| `historical_values[].year` | integer | `2024` |  |
| `historical_values[].value` | number or null | `12.260427311` |  |
| `who_indicator_code` | string | `"MDG_0000000001"` |  |

**Example input**

```json
{
  "country": "Brazil",
  "indicator": "infant mortality"
}
```

**Example output**

```json
{
  "unit": "deaths per 1,000 live births",
  "region": "Americas",
  "country": "Brazil",
  "indicator": "Infant mortality rate (probability of dying between birth and age 1 per 1000 live births)",
  "male_value": 13.608203825,
  "latest_year": 2024,
  "source_link": "https://ghoapi.azureedge.net/api/MDG_0000000001?%24filter=SpatialDim+eq+%27BRA%27&%24orderby=TimeDim+desc",
  "female_value": 10.841855023,
  "region_value": 10.911642148,
  "both_sexes_value": 12.260427311,
  "historical_values": [
    {
      "year": 2024,
      "value": 12.260427311
    },
    {
      "year": 2023,
      "value": 12.430646999
    },
    {
      "year": 2022,
      "value": 12.568670991
    }
  ],
  "who_indicator_code": "MDG_0000000001"
}
```

### Get fact sheet

Operation `get_fact_sheet`, version 1. 1 credit per completed call. Failed calls without a completed billing receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted.

Get a WHO fact sheet by health topic, including its key facts, overview and sections in page order. Available topics are those listed in the WHO fact-sheet directory.

**Input**

| Field | Type | Required | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `topic` | string | yes | `"mental health"` | Health topic as listed in WHO fact sheets, for example malaria or mental health. |

**Input schema**

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "topic"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "topic": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Health topic as listed in WHO fact sheets, for example malaria or mental health.",
      "examples": [
        "mental health",
        "malaria",
        "hypertension"
      ]
    }
  },
  "additionalProperties": false,
  "examples": [
    {
      "topic": "mental health"
    },
    {
      "topic": "malaria"
    },
    {
      "topic": "hypertension"
    }
  ]
}
```

**Output**

| Field | Type | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `title` | string | `"Mental health"` | Title of the WHO fact sheet. |
| `overview` | string or null |  | Plain-text overview from the fact sheet. |
| `sections` | array |  | Other sections in their original order, including WHO response and subheadings. |
| `sections[].text` | string | `"Malaria can be prevented by avoiding mosquito bites and by taking medicines. Talk to a doctor about taking medicines su` |  |
| `sections[].heading` | string | `"Risks and protective factors"` |  |
| `key_facts` | array |  | Key facts listed on the page, in order. |
| `page_link` | string | `"https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-strengthening-our-response"` | Link to the WHO fact sheet. |
| `date_updated` | string or null | `"2026-09-11"` | Date displayed on the fact sheet, as YYYY-MM-DD. |

**Example input**

```json
{
  "topic": "mental health"
}
```

**Example output**

```json
{
  "title": "Mental health",
  "overview": "Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn and work well, and contribute to their community. It has intrinsic a…",
  "sections": [
    {
      "text": "The risks and protective factors that influence mental health operate at multiple levels.\n\nIndividual factors such as emotional skills, substance use and genetics can increase vulnerability to mental …",
      "heading": "Risks and protective factors"
    },
    {
      "text": "Promotion and prevention efforts aim to improve mental health by addressing individual, social and structural determinants of mental health. Interventions can be designed for individuals, specific gro…",
      "heading": "Mental health promotion and prevention"
    },
    {
      "text": "National efforts to strengthen mental health must focus not only on promoting mental well-being for all, but also on addressing the needs of people with mental health conditions.\n\nThis is best achieve…",
      "heading": "Mental health care and treatment"
    }
  ],
  "key_facts": [
    "Globally, more than a billion people live with a mental health condition.",
    "Affordable, effective and feasible strategies exist to promote, protect and restore mental health.",
    "The need for action on mental health is indisputable and urgent."
  ],
  "page_link": "https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-strengthening-our-response",
  "date_updated": "2026-09-11"
}
```

### List outbreak news

Operation `list_outbreak_news`, version 1. 1 credit per completed call. Failed calls without a completed billing receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted.

List the latest WHO Disease Outbreak News reports, optionally filtered by disease and country. Countries are those tagged on each report; untagged locations and risk assessments not published by WHO may be absent.

**Input**

| Field | Type | Required | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `country` | string | no | `"Democratic Republic of the Congo"` | Country named in the report tags, for example Democratic Republic of the Congo. |
| `disease` | string | no | `"cholera"` | Disease to find in report titles, for example cholera. |
| `max_results` | integer | no | `20` | Maximum number of reports, for example 20. |

**Input schema**

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "country": {
      "type": "string",
      "examples": [
        "Democratic Republic of the Congo"
      ],
      "description": "Country named in the report tags, for example Democratic Republic of the Congo."
    },
    "disease": {
      "type": "string",
      "examples": [
        "cholera"
      ],
      "description": "Disease to find in report titles, for example cholera."
    },
    "max_results": {
      "type": "integer",
      "default": 20,
      "maximum": 100,
      "minimum": 1,
      "examples": [
        20
      ],
      "description": "Maximum number of reports, for example 20.",
      "x-fous-developer": true
    }
  },
  "additionalProperties": false,
  "examples": [
    {
      "disease": "cholera",
      "max_results": 3
    },
    {},
    {
      "country": "Democratic Republic of the Congo",
      "max_results": 2
    }
  ]
}
```

**Output**

| Field | Type | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `reports` | array |  | Matching outbreak reports, newest first. |
| `reports[].title` | string | `"Cholera – Multi-country with a focus on countries experiencing current surges"` |  |
| `reports[].disease` | string or null | `"Cholera"` |  |
| `reports[].summary` | string or null | `"On 8 September, Sudan’s Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) notified WHO about a cholera outbreak in four localities in t` |  |
| `reports[].countries` | array |  |  |
| `reports[].report_link` | string | `"https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2025-DON579"` |  |
| `reports[].published_date` | string | `"2025-08-29"` |  |
| `reports[].who_risk_assessment_summary` | string or null |  |  |

**Example input**

```json
{
  "disease": "cholera",
  "max_results": 3
}
```

**Example output**

```json
{
  "reports": [
    {
      "title": "Cholera – Multi-country with a focus on countries experiencing current surges",
      "disease": "Cholera",
      "summary": "The global cholera situation continues to deteriorate, driven by conflict and poverty, posing a significant public health challenge across multiple WHO regions. Between 1 January and 17 August 2025, a…",
      "countries": [],
      "report_link": "https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2025-DON579",
      "published_date": "2025-08-29",
      "who_risk_assessment_summary": "As of 17 August 2025, cholera outbreaks continue to escalate across multiple countries, with seven of the 31 countries now reporting case fatality rates above 1%, indicating serious gaps in case manag…"
    },
    {
      "title": "Cholera - Angola",
      "disease": "Cholera",
      "summary": "Since January 2025, Angola has been experiencing a substantial cholera outbreak. As of 23 March 2025, a total of 8543 cases and 329 deaths (Case Fatality Rate (CFR) 3.9%) have been reported, with one-…",
      "countries": [
        "Angola"
      ],
      "report_link": "https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2025-DON562",
      "published_date": "2025-03-28",
      "who_risk_assessment_summary": "Angola is experiencing a substantial cholera outbreak with a significant proportion of deaths occurring in the community, exacerbating cholera transmission by delaying case detection and response, hin…"
    }
  ]
}
```

## Quick start

Replace `YOUR_API_KEY` with a Fous API key. To create one, open Developers at the bottom of Fous Studio, turn on Developer mode, then go to API keys (https://app.fous.com/keys). Change the values in `input` to run the same tool on new data.

```bash
curl 'https://api.fous.com/v1/query' \
  --fail-with-body --silent --show-error --max-time 180 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data-raw '{
  "api": "@world-health-organization",
  "visibility": "public",
  "operation": "get_country_health_statistics",
  "version": 1,
  "input": {
    "country": "Brazil",
    "indicator": "infant mortality"
  },
  "response": {
    "format": "json"
  }
}'
```

```python
# Save as fous.py and run with python3 fous.py. No packages needed.
import json
import urllib.error
import urllib.request

api_key = "YOUR_API_KEY"

body = json.loads("{\n  \"api\": \"@world-health-organization\",\n  \"visibility\": \"public\",\n  \"operation\": \"get_country_health_statistics\",\n  \"version\": 1,\n  \"input\": {\n    \"country\": \"Brazil\",\n    \"indicator\": \"infant mortality\"\n  },\n  \"response\": {\n    \"format\": \"json\"\n  }\n}")
request = urllib.request.Request(
    "https://api.fous.com/v1/query",
    data=json.dumps(body).encode("utf-8"),
    headers={
        "Authorization": f"Bearer {api_key}",
        "Content-Type": "application/json",
    },
    method="POST",
)
try:
    with urllib.request.urlopen(request, timeout=180) as response:
        result = json.load(response)
except urllib.error.HTTPError as error:
    raise RuntimeError(f"HTTP {error.code}: {error.read().decode('utf-8', errors='replace')}") from error
if result.get("success") is False:
    raise RuntimeError(result.get("error", {}).get("message", "Request failed"))
print(json.dumps(result["data"]["output"], indent=2))
```

```typescript
// Save as fous.mts and run with npx tsx fous.mts.
const apiKey = "YOUR_API_KEY";

const response = await fetch("https://api.fous.com/v1/query", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    "Authorization": `Bearer ${apiKey}`,
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
  },
  signal: AbortSignal.timeout(180_000),
  body: JSON.stringify({
  "api": "@world-health-organization",
  "visibility": "public",
  "operation": "get_country_health_statistics",
  "version": 1,
  "input": {
    "country": "Brazil",
    "indicator": "infant mortality"
  },
  "response": {
    "format": "json"
  }
}),
});
type ApiResult = { success: boolean; data?: { output: unknown }; error?: { message: string } };
const result: ApiResult = await response.json();
if (!response.ok || result.success === false) {
  throw new Error(result.error?.message ?? `HTTP ${response.status}`);
}
if (!result.data) throw new Error("Missing API response data");
console.log(result.data.output);
```

## Use from an AI assistant

Connect this tool to Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code, Codex and any MCP client as its own MCP server. Each method is a typed tool whose arguments are the method’s input.

- Server URL: `https://api.fous.com/mcp/tools/world-health-organization`
- Authorization: `Authorization: Bearer <Fous API key>`

**Tools**

- `get_country_health_statistics`: Get country health statistics. 1 credit per completed call. Failed calls without a completed billing receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted.
- `get_fact_sheet`: Get fact sheet. 1 credit per completed call. Failed calls without a completed billing receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted.
- `list_outbreak_news`: List outbreak news. 1 credit per completed call. Failed calls without a completed billing receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted.
- `fous_get_run`: the result of a run that was still going, by its `request_id`. Free.

Claude Code:

```bash
claude mcp add --scope user --transport http fous-world-health-organization https://api.fous.com/mcp/tools/world-health-organization --header "Authorization: Bearer ${FOUS_API_KEY:?Set FOUS_API_KEY to your Fous API key}"
```

To give the assistant every tool, connect `https://api.fous.com/mcp`: it finds one with `fous_search_tools` and runs it with `fous_run_tool`. Setup for other clients: https://fous.com/llms-full.txt.

## Use cases

- Track outbreak reports by disease or tagged country
- Compare a country’s latest statistic with its regional value
- Review historical values for a country health indicator
- Summarize key facts from a health topic
- Organize fact sheet sections in page order

## FAQ

### Can I run it with my own inputs?

Yes. Change the inputs in Studio and press Run, or send new inputs from your code, or ask a connected AI assistant.

### Can I call this World Health Organization tool as an API?

Yes. Send a POST request to /v1/query with your Fous API key and the inputs, and get JSON back.

### How much does it cost?

Each completed run costs 1 credit. Failed runs without a completed receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted. With pay as you go, a credit costs 1¢. Monthly plans cost less per credit.

### Do I need a World Health Organization account?

No. You only need a Fous account.

### How current is the data?

Fous gets the data from who.int when you run it. Some results are reused for up to 24 hours, and results that use your account or key are never reused. It was last verified on Sep 29, 2026.

### Which outbreak reports match a disease or country?

List outbreak news returns matching reports, newest first. You can filter by disease or by a country tagged on the report.

### What is a country’s latest health statistic?

Get country health statistics returns the latest value for a required country and indicator, with sex-specific values when available.

### What does a WHO fact sheet say about a topic?

Get fact sheet returns key facts, an overview, and sections in page order for a topic listed in the WHO fact-sheet directory.

## Related

- [World Bank API](https://fous.com/tools/world-bank.md): World Bank provides country statistics and latest values within selected years, plus country rankings for a chosen year or the latest broadly covered year.
- [Our World in Data API](https://fous.com/tools/our-world-in-data.md): Research and data on global challenges and long-term trends.
- [CDC API](https://fous.com/tools/cdc.md): CDC provides disease facts, age-based vaccine guidance, current travel notices, and destination-specific travel health recommendations; review dates appear only when CDC supplies them.
- [Eurostat API](https://fous.com/tools/eurostat.md): Official European statistics from Eurostat.
- [MedlinePlus API](https://fous.com/tools/medlineplus.md): MedlinePlus provides health information from the U.S. National Library of Medicine, including condition and symptom overviews and explanations of tests with matching pages.
- [IMF API](https://fous.com/tools/imf.md): IMF economic data provides country and regional forecasts with actual or forecast labels, and country rankings by World Economic Outlook indicators, excluding groups and missing values.
- [Wikipedia API](https://fous.com/tools/wikipedia.md): Wikipedia returns article summaries, images, facts, relevant search matches, readable text and daily historical events, plus human-view counts from July 2015 onward.
- [Mayo Clinic API](https://fous.com/tools/mayo-clinic.md): Mayo Clinic provides health information from public condition pages, including condition overviews and, where available, diagnosis, treatment, home care, alternative medicine, and appointment preparation.
- [All Health tools](https://fous.com/tools/category/health)