WHO to nominate new Western Pacific chief
17/9/2008 17:20
The World Health Organization (WHO) today said it is going to pick a new
chief to head its Western Pacific regional office, replacing the outgoing Dr.
Shigeru Omi of Japan, who will retire after serving 10 years on the post.
The
contenders for the top WHO regional post are Dr. Tee Ah Sian of Malaysia, Dr.
Shin Young-Soo of the Republic of Korea and Dr. Viliami Ta'u Tangi of Tonga, the
WHO said in a press release.
Dr. Shin, 64, is currently professor at the
College of Medicine of the Seoul National University. Dr. Tangi, 60, is
currently the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Health and Chief Surgeon in the
Kingdom of Tonga. Dr. Tee, 60, is currently WHO's Director for Combating
Communicable Diseases in the Western Pacific.
The candidacies will be
submitted to the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific, WHO's governing
body in the region, when it meets in Manila from 22 to 26 September 2008 to
review WHO's work in the region.
Dr. Shigeru Omi, 59, joined the WHO Western
Pacific Regional Office in Manila in 1990 as the Responsible Officer for the
Expanded Programme on Immunization. He assumed the position of WHO Regional
Director post in 1999 and was reelected in 2004.
He was remembered for
efforts to tackle severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) during his first term
and programs to harness the spread of the (H5N1) avian influenza virus during
his second term. He will officially resign from the post at the end of January
2009.
Xinhua
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