WHO shortlists candidates for new director general

GENEVA: The executive board of the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Monday shortlisted candidates from Kuwait, China, Mexico, Japan and Spain to be the organisation's next director general.

Three are current World Health Organisation officials, Kuwait's Kazem Behbehani, China's Margaret Chan and Japan's Shigeru Omi.

Mexico's reforming Health Minister Julio Frenk is a former WHO official who campaigned unsuccessfully for the post in 2003.

His Spanish counterpart Elena Salgado is the outsider, notably because unlike her fellow candidates, she is not a doctor and has played no role within the UN health body.

Six other candidates, including France's Bernard Kouchner who had been considered a favourite, were earlier eliminated from the running from a contest which will culminate on Thursday when the WHO's 193 member states will vote on a single nominee.

The candidates are bidding to succeed South Korea's Lee Jong-wook, who died suddenly in May aged 61 after suffering a stroke.

The new chief will lead the global struggle against challenges as diverse as a threatened flu pandemic, AIDS, medically-resistant diseases or rising chronic illness and dilapidated health care in poor countries.