Chinese doc takes over as WHO chief

NEW YORK: Margaret Chan, a Chinese doctor who played a key role in the United Nations' efforts to prevent bird flu from mutating into a deadly human pandemic, has taken over as the head of the UN World Health Organisation.

“WHO has a long history of commitment to those in greatest need, including the most vulnerable groups,” the new Director-General of the 193-member state organisation said on assuming office in Geneva. “I want my leadership to be judged by the impact of our work on the health of two populations: women and the people of Africa,” she said.

Chan was elected in November by the World Health Assembly, WHO's decision-making body, to succeed Lee Jong-wook, who died suddenly last May.

She set out six priority areas on which she intends to focus WHO's work: development for health, health security, building the capacity of health systems, developing better information and knowledge, enhancing partnerships, and improving the organisation's performance.

She told staff these priorities would not mean a major restructuring of WHO and she would be looking for ways in which different parts of the organisation can work better together.

“I will stick with my promise. Reform, yes. Upheaval, no,” she said. “I believe these are optimistic times for health. Never before has our work enjoyed such a high profile on the political agenda,” she added.

One of the key challenges facing WHO is to “manage all this vigorous interest in health in ways that ensure lasting improvements and do not overburden recipient countries,” Chan said.

“As the acknowledged leader in public health, we need to ensure that the growing number of health initiatives meets comprehensive health needs, in a coordinated way, in line with the priorities of countries and their populations,” she said.

Chan was previously WHO's top official for communicable diseases and point person for pandemic influenza.

In 2003, she became Director of the Department of Protection of the Human Environment, and in 2005 Director, Communicable Diseases Surveillance and Response, and Representative of the Director-General for Pandemic Influenza as well as Assistant Director-General for the Communicable Diseases cluster.