You may remember the posting of 19 September in which the [him] moderator wondered about Nay Htun's qualifications for the Director General post of WHO. Read on ...
Burmese candidate says he is future of WHO
Clive Parker
Irrawaddy
16 October 2006
Dr Nay Htun, Burma’s candidate for the top World Health Organization post,
told The Irrawaddy on Monday that he is the right choice if the world body
is to develop a more complete approach to tackling global health issues.
When the list of 13 candidates was announced last month, eyebrows were
raised at the inclusion of the Burmese diplomat alongside doctors with
years more medical experience. While Nay Htun is considered an expert in
many areas, particularly the environment and conflict resolution, his
résumé does not show the same level of experience in medicine.
“I recognize that medical science and practices are critical to health
outcomes and are core functions of the WHO,” he said on Sunday from New
York, where he is based as a professor at the UN University and an advisor
to the UN secretary-general’s envoy to North Korea.
Nay Htun argues that the WHO has already outlined the path it plans to
take over the next decade in its General Work Program, which calls for a
greater appreciation of non-medical factors that have a direct bearing on
the world’s health—a focus he says he possesses.
“My track record underscores my extensive knowledge of and experience in
determinants of global public health… particularly environmental, social,
economic and developmental, and the ability to integrate them,” he said.
The public does not seem to agree. A posting on the blog HIV Information
in Myanmar [Burma] says: “[I] cannot see that he has any experience in
health at all. Nay Htun for DG [director-general]? I don’t think so.”
The media has largely ignored Nay Htun, instead focusing on higher-profile
candidates such as Dr Pascoal Manuel Mocumbi, the former prime minister of
Mozambique and sole representative from Africa, and the Mexican Health
Minister Julio Frenck, who appeared on the short list during the last
election for the position three years ago.
However, backed by the foreign ministers of Asean, Burma’s candidate hopes
that WHO’s desire to evolve will make him the obvious choice in a field of
medical specialists that also includes Dr Shigeru Omi of Japan, the
current head of the Western Pacific arm of the world health body, and Dr
Margaret Chan of China, WHO’s top official for pandemic influenza
preparedness.
A WHO statement announcing the list of nominees in September suggested
that clear medical experience would be a priority. The new
director-general “will face a series of pressing tasks, from the threat of
a bird flu pandemic to ongoing battles against HIV/AIDS, malaria and
tuberculosis,” it said.
Indeed, past director-generals have almost always had such expertise. The
late Dr Jong Wook Lee, previous director-general of WHO prior to his death
in May and the man Nay Htun is seeking to replace, had 19 years of
experience at the Geneva-based health body, working on tuberculosis and
immunization.
Nay Htun’s own working relationship with WHO began in the late 1970s when
he worked on a chemical safety program. This was followed by further
projects on sanitation and water with the world health body in the 1990s
and later with the WHO Center of Health Development in Japan. He has also
contributed expertise to regional health and environmental programs backed
by WHO and believes this will give him a good understanding of the
organization’s working methods.
“I am confident I will be able to motivate, lead and manage WHO
efficiently and effectively,” he says.
Whether he will get the chance will be decided on November 9 when the
World Health Assembly votes on who will fill the vacant position.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/aviewer.asp?a=6273&z=154
