[Ip-health] Bloomberg (July 25): WHO's Margaret Chan Nominated by China to Head UN Health Agency

[Thiru Balasubramaniam]

<SNIP>

Chan, who is also assistant director-general for communicable diseases,
begins a leave of absence today, said Christine McNab, a WHO
spokeswoman. Chan, 58, joined the Geneva- based agency in 2003 after
serving for four years as director of health in Hong Kong, which
supports her nomination.

<SNIP>


Chan is the third senior WHO official to step aside since June after
being nominated by a member-state for director- general, a post held by
South Korea's Lee Jong-Wook, who died in May after surgery to remove a
clot on his brain. Employees of the WHO aren't able to continue working
at the organization if they are being considered for an elected position.

``I am honored by this nomination,'' Chan said in an e-mail today.

<SNIP>

Shigeru Omi, the WHO's Manila-based regional director for the Western
Pacific, began a leave of absence in June after Japan nominated him. The
Philippines will most likely support Omi's candidacy, said Health
Secretary Francisco Duque.

Kazem Behbehani, the WHO's assistant director-general of external
relations and governing bodies, also stepped aside after nomination by
the government of Kuwait.

Proposals from member states are being accepted by the WHO secretariat
until Sept. 5. Anders Nordstrom will continue as the acting
director-general of the WHO until a new head takes office, the agency
said on May 30.



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WHO's Margaret Chan Nominated by China to Head UN Health Agency

By Jason Gale

July 25 (Bloomberg) -- The World Health Organization's Margaret Chan,
who helped lead pandemic influenza preparations, will step aside from
her post after she was nominated by China to lead the United Nations
health agency.

Chan, who is also assistant director-general for communicable diseases,
begins a leave of absence today, said Christine McNab, a WHO
spokeswoman. Chan, 58, joined the Geneva- based agency in 2003 after
serving for four years as director of health in Hong Kong, which
supports her nomination.

``We feel she's fully capable of the new position,'' York Chow, Hong
Kong's secretary for health, welfare and food, said today in an e-mailed
transcript of a speech. ``She has orchestrated efforts among developing
countries to prevent a bird flu epidemic. She also gained support from
major countries and influenced drugmakers to develop vaccines.''

Chan is the third senior WHO official to step aside since June after
being nominated by a member-state for director- general, a post held by
South Korea's Lee Jong-Wook, who died in May after surgery to remove a
clot on his brain. Employees of the WHO aren't able to continue working
at the organization if they are being considered for an elected position.

``I am honored by this nomination,'' Chan said in an e-mail today.

At the WHO, Chan has helped spearhead a global program to prevent the
spread of the H5N1 strain of bird flu and prepare for any pandemic the
virus might spawn. Human H5N1 fatalities have almost tripled this year
as the virus spread in wild birds and domestic poultry to at least 38
countries.

`No Interruption'

``There will be no interruption of the work on the global influenza
program, or on any other work regarding communicable diseases,'' McNab
said in an e-mail. David Heymann, representative of the director-general
for polio eradication, will assume Chan's duties, McNab said.

During the past three years, H5N1 has infected at least 231 people in 10
countries in Asia and the Middle East, killing 133.

Shigeru Omi, the WHO's Manila-based regional director for the Western
Pacific, began a leave of absence in June after Japan nominated him. The
Philippines will most likely support Omi's candidacy, said Health
Secretary Francisco Duque.

Kazem Behbehani, the WHO's assistant director-general of external
relations and governing bodies, also stepped aside after nomination by
the government of Kuwait.

Proposals from member states are being accepted by the WHO secretariat
until Sept. 5. Anders Nordstrom will continue as the acting
director-general of the WHO until a new head takes office, the agency
said on May 30.

The executive board of the UN agency will decide on a shortlist of five
candidates and interview them from Nov. 6-8, the WHO said. The World
Health Assembly will vote on the board's nomination at a one-day special
session on Nov. 9 and decide when a contract for the new
director-general would take effect.

To contact the reporters on this story: Jason Gale in Singapore at
j.gale@bloomberg.net <mailto:j.gale@bloomberg.net>