WHO West Pacific to name new director
THE World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Region on Friday announced that the voting for nomination of a new regional director will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023.
Acting Regional Director for Western Pacific Dr. Zsuzsanna Jakab said the election will take place on the second day of the 74th session of the Regional Committee, which will be held from October 16 to 20 in Manila.
«This Regional Committee is of particular importance for us for two reasons. First, partly because we are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the World Health Organization and second, it is also a very important event next week because the member states will vote to nominate the next regional director of this region,» Jakab said in a press briefing on Friday.
Western Pacific Region is home to 1.9 billion people from 37 countries, including the Philippines, located across the Asia-Pacific Region.
The Regional Committee is WHO's highest governing body for the region, attended by ministers and high-level officials from ministries of health from 37 countries and areas across the Asia-Pacific Region, which meet annually to agree on health actions and chart priorities for the work of the organization.
Every fifth year, the region's member states vote to nominate the regional director — the most senior representative of the organization in each of the six WHO regions.
This year, member states can choose from among the five candidates: Dr. Song Li, proposed by China; Dr. Susan Mercado, proposed by the Philippine; Dr. Jimmie Rodgers, proposed by Solomon Islands; Dr. Saia Ma'u Piukala, proposed by Tonga; and Dr. Tran Thi Giang Huong, proposed by Vietnam.
Jakab added that «the candidates will be having one hour each — 30 minutes for the question and answer portion and another 30 minutes to deliberate on key actions to address topics including health security; health workforce; communication for health; and health innovation.»
After the presentation, the regional committee will then proceed to the voting decision, which is expected to end by afternoon on October 17.
The nomination will then be submitted for appointment by the 154th session of WHO Executive Board, which will take place in
