Vietnam seeks French support to run for key WHO position

Associate Professor-PhD-Doctor Tran Thi Giang Huong. (Photo: VNA)

On September 26 in Paris, Associate Professor, Doctor, Physician Tran Thi Giang Huong, Vietnam's candidate for the position of Director of the Western Pacific Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO) for the 2024-2029 term, arrived in Paris to lobby for France's support.

This is the first time Vietnam has a candidate for this important position of WHO.

Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang joined Associate Professor-PhD-Doctor Tran Thi Giang Huong in meetings with French authorities to introduce the Vietnamese candidate and carry out advocacy work.

The French side highly appreciated Vietnam's achievements in the fight against the pandemic, its active role in multilateral organizations as well as Vietnam's initiative of the International Day for Pandemic Prevention on December 27.

Representatives of French authorities also welcomed Vietnam's candidacy for this position and highly appreciated the methodical and professional campaign of the Vietnamese candidate.

The French side affirmed its desire to continue to coordinate with Vietnam in multilateral forums and international organizations to promote the potential of each country in its fields of strength, especially in the fields of medicine and public health care.

Previously, the Vietnamese Government decided to nominate Associate Professor-PhD-Doctor Tran Thi Giang Huong for the above position. Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan officially sent a nomination letter to the WHO Director General.

Associate Professor, Doctor, Physician Tran Thi Giang Huong is an expert in public health and global health with more than 32 years of experience, holding many important positions in the health sector such as Director of the Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Health, Head of ASEAN SOM on Health Development (SOMHD), Head of the APEC Forum Health Working Group, Alternate Member of the WHO Executive Council for the 2016-2019 term.

Since July 2019, Associate Professor, Doctor, Physician Tran Thi Giang Huong has been the Director of Disease Control Programs of the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office.

Associate Professor, Doctor, Physician Tran Thi Giang Huong has made important and effective contributions to the cause of caring for and protecting people's health, contributing to promoting the international integration of the health sector, enhancing the role and position of the Vietnamese health sector in the region and in the world.

As Director of Disease Control Programmes of the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office, Associate Professor, Doctor, Doctor Tran Thi Giang Huong has made important contributions to the prevention and control of COVID-19 in the region; prevention and control of infectious and non-communicable diseases; improvement of mental health; elimination of malaria in the Mekong Sub-region and neglected tropical diseases; implementation of the expanded immunization programme and many other public health programmes.

Associate Professor, Doctor, Physician Tran Thi Giang Huong is one of five candidates for this position. According to WHO regulations, the candidates will undergo consultation with member countries and then a secret ballot within the framework of the 74th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific, taking place from October 16-20 in Manila, Philippines.

WHO is the largest health professional organization of the United Nations with 194 member countries, established in 1948 with the goal of ensuring health for people globally.

As one of the six regions of WHO, the Western Pacific Region includes 37 countries and territories with a population of more than 1.9 billion people. The Western Pacific Regional Office is headquartered in Manila, Philippines./.

Source: VNA/Vietnam+

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