Margaret Chan recommended to run for top WHO job
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-07-25 13:44 China announced on Tuesday that it has decided to
recommend Margaret Chan from Hong Kong to run for Director-General of the World
Health Organization (WHO).
Chan currently serves as WHO Assistant Director-General for Communicable
Diseases. The election for new director-general will be in November this year.
China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said China has been an active
player in international cooperation on health.
"China attaches great importance to the key role of the WHO and hopes to make
greater contributions to the development of world health affairs," Liu said.
A resume posted on the WHO website said that Chan obtained her medical degree
from the University of Western Ontario in Canada. She joined the Hong Kong
Department of Health in 1978 and began her career in public health.
In 1994, Chan was appointed Director of Health, the first female director of
Hong Kong.
In 2003, Chan joined the WHO and worked as WHO's Director of the Department
of Protection of the Human Environment.
In June 2005, she was appointed Director of Communicable Diseases
Surveillance and Response as well as Representative of the Director-General for
Pandemic Influenza, according to the WHO website.
Spokesman Liu said Chan has profound medical knowledge and rich experience in
public health management and has thorough understanding of WHO rules as well as
challenges and opportunities for the global health system.
Chan has systematic and mature thinking of WHO's development, Liu said,
adding, "we believe Madam Margaret Chan would help the organization play a more
active role in the health sector on the world stage if she were elected WHO
Director-General."
|
