<P> The World Health Organization operates 147 country offices in all its regions . It also operates several liaison offices, including those with the European Union, United Nations and a single office covering the World Bank and International Monetary Fund . It also operates the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, France, and the WHO Centre for Health Development in Kobe, Japan . Additional offices include those in Pristina; the West Bank and Gaza; the US - Mexico Border Field Office in El Paso; the Office of the Caribbean Program Coordination in Barbados; and Northern Micronesia office . There will generally be one WHO country office in the capital, occasionally accompanied by satellite - offices in the provinces or sub-regions of the country in question . </P> <P> The country office is headed by a WHO Representative (WR). As of 2010, the only WHO Representative outside Europe to be a national of that country was for the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya ("Libya"); all other staff were international . Those in the Region for the Americas, they are referred to as PAHO / WHO Representatives . In Europe, WHO Representatives also serve as Head of Country Office, and are nationals with the exception of Serbia; there are also Heads of Country Office in Albania, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan . The WR is member of the UN system country team which is coordinated by the UN System Resident Coordinator . </P> <P> The country office consists of the WR, and several health and other experts, both foreign and local, as well as the necessary support staff . The main functions of WHO country offices include being the primary adviser of that country's government in matters of health and pharmaceutical policies . </P> <P> The WHO is financed by contributions from member states and outside donors . As of 2012, the largest annual assessed contributions from member states came from the United States ($110 million), Japan ($58 million), Germany ($37 million), United Kingdom ($31 million) and France ($31 million). The combined 2012--2013 budget has proposed a total expenditure of $3,959 million, of which $944 million (24%) will come from assessed contributions . This represented a significant fall in outlay compared to the previous 2009--2010 budget, adjusting to take account of previous underspends . Assessed contributions were kept the same . Voluntary contributions will account for $3,015 million (76%), of which $800 million is regarded as highly or moderately flexible funding, with the remainder tied to particular programmes or objectives . </P>

What is the role of the world health organisation