|
Dr Margaret Chan obtained her Medical Degree from the University of Western Ontario in Canada. She joined the Hong Kong Department of Health in 1978, where her career in public health began. She joined WHO in 2003 and was previously WHO Assistant Director-General for Communicable Diseases and Representative of the Director-General for Pandemic Influenza. She will take up her duties on 4 January 2007, and her term will run through June 2012.
After her appointment, she told the World Health Assembly she wanted to be judged by the impact WHO's work has on the people of Africa and on women across the globe.
In her acceptance speech, Dr Chan said: "what matters most to me is people. And two specific groups of people in particular. I want us to be judged by the impact we have on the health of the people of Africa, and the health of women. … Improvements in the health of the people of Africa and the health of women are key indicators of the performance of WHO."
"All regions, all countries, all people are equally important. This is a health organization for the whole world. Our work must touch on the lives of everyone, everywhere," she said. "But we must focus our attention on the people in greatest need." Dr Chan was nominated as Director-General on Wednesday by the WHO Executive Board and her appointment was confirmed on Thursday by the World Health Assembly. The Director-General is WHO's chief technical and administrative officer. She was previously WHO Assistant Director-General for Communicable Diseases and Representative of the Director-General for Pandemic Influenza.
See the full press release, Dr Margaret Chan to be WHO's next Director-General, 09 November 2006
|
