The Foreign Ministry said today that China 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.
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.
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."
(Xinhua News Agency July 25, 2006)
