Letter to The Lancet re. DG WHO election (3)
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[From the Moderator: Claudio, your letter obviously fell on fertile
ground. D.N. Mod.]
WHO Director-General elections
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I'd like to draw attention to the debate surrounding the election of
a new Director-General for the World Health Organization (see commen-
tary below). At The Lancet, we have set up a special area of the web-
site to track coverage of this important event (www.thelancet.com).
In addition, we invite everyone to e-mail their views on the future
of WHO and global health to <whodg@lancet.com>. These messages will
be posted on the website each week.
Sarah Ramsay
Senior Editor
The Lancet
London, UK
mailto:Sarah.Ramsay@lancet.com
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WHO Director-General elections -- join The Lancet debate
On Aug 23 this year, WHO Director-General, Gro Harlem Brundtland
shook the international health community by announcing her decision
not to stand for a second term of office. The assumption that
Brundtland would stay on as head of the United Nations health agency
had been so strong that even her closest colleagues at the Geneva
headquarters were taken aback.
In the past 4 years, Brundtland has changed WHO from the public
health agency "where good ideas go to die" to a force that is moving
health, especially the health of the poorest people in the world, up
the international political agenda. Brundtland's reforms have not
been without criticism, but few would dispute that she has made an
indelible mark on the global health. The work that she has started is
very much still in progress, and a strong and capable successor is
essential to ensure that the reconfiguration of the world's premier
health agency continues.
During the next few months, The Lancet will be covering the election
campaign in depth, starting with a Special Report this week summaris-
ing WHO's structure and electoral process. In addition, we want to
foster greater debate about the direction of global health in the
21st century and WHO's role in steering the best course. To start
that debate, we invite readers to send in their comments:
mailto:whodg@lancet.com
All messages sent to this address will be posted on our website each
week. Those individuals with the privilege of electing the next Di-
rector-General of WHO also carry a great responsibility -- we hope
that our coverage and your comments can help inform their decision.
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