SWITZERLAND: The World Health Organisation's (WHO) Executive Board today nominated China's Margaret Chan as its new chief

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday (November 8) nominated China's Margaret Chan, its top official on bird flu, as its new chief as it gears up for a feared flu pandemic and battles global scourges such as AIDS. "I must say how proud I am and how touched also to be able to present to you the person who has been nominated, the person who has been elected and who will be nominated tomorrow to the World Health Assembly, Dr Margaret Chan to be the next Director General of the World Health Organisation", the chairman of the Executive Board, Fernando Antezana Aranibar of Bolivia said. Chan, 59, will become the first Chinese to head a major U.N. agency. A former director of Hong Kong's department of health, she has devoted her professional life to public health. With Beijing campaigning hard, she had been the front-runner to replace South Korea's Lee Jong-Wook who died suddenly in May from a blood clot in the brain, three years into his five-year term as director-general. The 193-state WHO's top decision-taking body, the World Health Assembly, will be asked to approve the nomination by its board at a special session on Thursday. The assembly has never rejected the board's candidate. "Mister Chairman, honourable members and ladies and gentlemen, please be sure that I will work tirelessly, with my eyes on the goals we agreed on together, my ears open to the voices of all, and my heart committed to the populations of your countries, and once again, I thank you all very much," Chan said, addressing the WHO Executive Committee after her nomination. The diminutive medical doctor stepped aside from her job as the WHO's Assistant Director-General for communicable diseases to run for the top job in global health. The profile of the WHO, which has a two-year budget of $3.3 billion, has increased dramatically with the emergence of global health emergencies such as AIDS and threats from new diseases such as SARS, a killer respiratory illness, and bird flu. Beijing's decision to put Chan forward for the post was seen by diplomats as a further sign that China, a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, was interested in playing a wider international role. Supporters had argued her election could also strengthen relations between the WHO and China, a front-line state in the battle against the new diseases but which has been accused of being slow to share information.

ITN Source | November 9, 2006

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