# WHO GHO Indicators Scraper (`parseforge/who-gho-indicators-scraper`) Actor

Scrapes WHO Global Health Observatory indicators by name filter. Returns each indicator as a flat row with code, name, and metadata. Export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/parseforge/who-gho-indicators-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [ParseForge](https://apify.com/parseforge) (community)
- **Categories:** Automation, Integrations, Education
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 89.7% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $7.50 / 1,000 results

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

[![ParseForge](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ParseForge/apify-assets/main/banner.jpg)](https://apify.com/parseforge?fpr=vmoqkp)

### WHO GHO Indicators Scraper

**Scrape WHO Global Health Observatory indicators by name, up to a million per run.** Every indicator comes with its code, full name, and metadata. No API key or registration. Export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML.

The WHO Global Health Observatory (GHO) is the world's largest repository of health statistics, but its official API requires navigating complex indicator codes and pagination. This Actor reads the public GHO indicator list directly, filters by name, and returns each match in one fixed schema. No login, no API key, no rate limits.

| Who uses it | What they scrape WHO Global Health Observatory for |
|---|---|
| Public health researchers | Building a catalog of WHO indicators for a systematic review |
| Data journalists | Finding the exact indicator codes needed for a story on global health |
| Health data engineers | Automating the discovery of GHO indicators for ETL pipelines |
| NGO analysts | Monitoring which health topics the WHO tracks for grant reporting |

### What it does

This Actor collects WHO GHO indicators by name filter and returns each one as a flat row with its code, name, and metadata.

- 🔍 **Name filter:** enter any text to match indicator names, case-insensitive.
- 📊 **Bulk collection:** set maxItems up to 1,000,000 to pull the full list or a large subset.
- 🗂️ **Fixed schema:** every row has the same fields, ready for CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML export.
- ⚡ **No API key:** reads the public GHO indicator list directly, no registration or OAuth.

Results export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML, or straight from the API.

### What you can do with WHO Global Health Observatory data

**📋 Build a complete indicator catalog.**

A public health researcher runs the Actor with no filter and maxItems 1000000 to get every WHO GHO indicator for a systematic review.

**🔎 Find indicators by topic.**

A data journalist enters 'mortality' in nameContains to get all mortality-related indicators and their codes for a story.

**🔄 Automate indicator discovery.**

A health data engineer schedules the Actor weekly to keep an internal catalog of WHO indicators up to date.

**📊 Monitor WHO tracking.**

An NGO analyst filters for 'immunization' to see which vaccination indicators the WHO currently tracks for grant reporting.

### Why choose this scraper

| | What you get |
|---|---|
| **No API key** | No registration, no OAuth, no rate limits |
| **Name filter** | Find indicators by any part of their name |
| **Bulk export** | Up to 1,000,000 indicators per run |
| **Fixed schema** | Every row has the same fields for easy analysis |

### How it compares

No other Store actor targets WHO Global Health Observatory the same way, so the honest comparison is with the alternatives teams actually weigh.

| | WHO GHO Indicators Scraper | Build it in-house | By hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup | Run it now, zero config | Days of engineering | None, but hours per pull |
| When WHO Global Health Observatory changes | Maintained for you | You fix it | You re-learn the page |
| Proxies, retries, anti-bot | Built in | Your problem | Browser only |
| Output | Fixed JSON schema, CSV/Excel export | Whatever you build | Copy-paste |
| Cost | Pay per result | Engineering time | Analyst hours |

### Configure the run

Drive the Actor with a name filter and a maximum item count. The filter runs as each indicator is read, so only matches reach your dataset. The Input tab lists every parameter.

A first run with the defaults:

```json
{
 "maxItems": 10
}
```

A larger pull:

```json
{
 "maxItems": 200
}
```

### Pricing

Pay-per-result: **$0.0085 per result** collected. You pay only for the results written to your dataset.

| Results collected | Approximate cost |
|---|---|
| 100 results | $0.85 |
| 1,000 results | $8.50 |
| 10,000 results | $85.00 |

New Apify accounts start with $5 in free credit.

### Free users

Free-plan runs return up to 10 results as a preview. [Upgrade your Apify plan](https://console.apify.com/sign-up?fpr=vmoqkp) to collect up to 1,000,000 results per run.

### Run it

1. [Create a free Apify account with $5 in credit](https://console.apify.com/sign-up?fpr=vmoqkp).
2. Open the [WHO GHO Indicators Scraper](https://apify.com/parseforge/who-gho-indicators-scraper?fpr=vmoqkp).
3. Set your inputs and any filters, then click **Start**.
4. Export the results as CSV, Excel, JSON, or XML from the **Dataset** tab.

Run it programmatically through the [Apify API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2) (`run-sync-get-dataset-items`) or the [ApifyClient](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js) for JavaScript and Python.

### Use with AI agents (MCP)

Give an AI agent live access to WHO Global Health Observatory through the Model Context Protocol. Add the Actor to Claude, Cursor, or any MCP client:

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http apify "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=parseforge/who-gho-indicators-scraper"
```

Then prompt it in plain language to run the scraper and read back the results.

### Troubleshooting

**Why am I getting no results?**

Your nameContains filter may be too specific. Try a shorter term or leave it empty to get all indicators. The filter is case-insensitive and matches any part of the name.

**Why did the run stop before reaching maxItems?**

The Actor stops when it has collected all indicators that match your filter. If maxItems is higher than the number of matches, you will get fewer results.

**Why are some indicator names truncated?**

The GHO list may have long names. The full name is returned in the dataset, but some export formats may display it truncated. Check the raw JSON for the complete value.

**Can I get the indicator definition or description?**

This Actor returns the code and name as listed by the GHO. For definitions, use the indicator code with the WHO API or the GHO website.

**Why does the run take a long time?**

The Actor reads the GHO list in pages. If you set a high maxItems, it may take a few minutes. The list is small, so it should complete quickly.

### FAQ

| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Do I need a WHO API key? | No. This Actor reads the public GHO indicator list directly, so no registration or API key is required. |
| What is the maximum number of indicators I can get? | You can set maxItems up to 1,000,000. The actual number returned depends on how many indicators match your name filter. |
| Can I filter by indicator code? | The nameContains filter matches indicator names only. To filter by code, export the full list and filter in your spreadsheet or script. |
| What format is the data returned in? | Each indicator is returned as a flat row with fields like code, name, and metadata. You can export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML. |
| How often is the GHO indicator list updated? | The WHO updates the GHO regularly. Run this Actor on a schedule to keep your dataset current. |
| Can I get the actual data values for an indicator? | This Actor collects the indicator metadata (code, name, etc.), not the underlying data values. Use the indicator code with the WHO API to fetch values. |
| Is there a limit on how many indicators I can collect? | The only limit is the maxItems input, which you can set up to 1,000,000. The GHO currently has fewer than that, so you can get the full list. |
| What if I get no results? | Check your nameContains filter. It is case-insensitive and matches any part of the name. Try a shorter or more general term. |
| Can I use this for commercial purposes? | WHO data is generally available for reuse. Check the WHO data use policy for your specific use case. |
| Does this Actor work with Apify's free plan? | Yes, you can run it on the free plan. The number of indicators is small, so it uses minimal resources. |

### Related actors

Browse the full [ParseForge collection](https://apify.com/parseforge?fpr=vmoqkp) for more scrapers.

🆘 **Need help?** Email parseforge@protonmail.com with your run ID, your input, and what you expected.

⚠️ **Disclaimer.** This Actor is unofficial and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by World Health Organization. It collects only publicly available data. You are responsible for using the collected data in compliance with the source's terms of service and applicable data-protection laws, including GDPR, CCPA, and PIPL. Do not use it to collect personal data unlawfully.

# Actor input Schema

## `nameContains` (type: `string`):

Filter indicator names.

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

How many indicators to collect per run.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "maxItems": 10
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

No description

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "maxItems": 10
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("parseforge/who-gho-indicators-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = { "maxItems": 10 }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("parseforge/who-gho-indicators-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "maxItems": 10
}' |
apify call parseforge/who-gho-indicators-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,parseforge/who-gho-indicators-scraper"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/h6ShySXWzm0Q7U4ON/builds/OPtMOzOKehPQ8lABG/openapi.json