Director General Candidate Forum
We are pleased to have hosted our second highly successful WHO Director General Candidate forum via video conference on 30 October 2006. The format of this most recent event differed from the last event in Geneva in 2003, in that the entire session was done by videoconferencing. This was necessary given the highly demanding travel schedule of the candidates.
We are adding to this the submissions from candidates who were unable to participate in the video conference live, but made arrangements to put their views forward. To listen to the audio responses of each of the four candidates who took part in the live web streamed video conference Forum on 30 October 2006 as well as the response from the candidates arranging separately to put their views forward on these questions, please follow the links below.
We have made the responses available as either an audio only MP3 or streaming video formats. Individual responses to the questions can be downloaded below and the complete Video is available here. A full transcript of the event will be available shortly on this site, so please come back for regular updates as the date for the election nears.
Comments:
Comments very welcome to Dr McConnell at harry@ihn.info.
Chair:
- Prof Harry McConnell, International Health and Disability Network, and Associate Professor Public Health (EBM) Bond University
International Panel:
- Dr. Fernando, Sri Lankan Family Practice Association, Colombo
- Dr. Yuko Takeda, Public Health speacialist and Lecturer, Tokyo University
- Dr. Monica Rengifo Pardo, Senior Physician, Colombia
- Dr. Tenagne Haile Mariam, Senior Physician, Ethiopia
The Questions:
Question 1: Few countries are on track to reduce child mortality by half before 2015. Though survival prospects have improved in every region, 10.5 million children died before their fifth birthday in 2004 – mostly from preventable causes and approximately one in five children in developing countries still have insufficient food.
Please tell us what strategies you feel need to be in place to meet this important MDG by 2015, including approaches to nutrition and immunization
- Mr David A. Gunnarsson (proposed by Iceland), live video link from Reykjavik - MP3
- Dr Pascoal Manuel Mocumbi (proposed by Mozambique) live video link from Maputo - MP3
- Dr Shigeru Omi (proposed by Japan) live video link from Geneva - MP3
- Professor Pekka Puska (proposed by Finland) live video link from Bucharest - MP3
- Dr Kazem Behbehani (proposed by Kuwait) (written submission read on his behalf) - MP3
- Dr Julio Frenk (proposed by Mexico) (submission to be arranged) - MP3
- Dr Nay Htun (proposed by Myanmar) (telephone interview 1 November 2006) - MP3
Question 2: Maternal mortality ratios, although high on the international agenda for two decades, have changed little in sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia where most deaths occur. What are the most important strategies in order to reduce maternal mortality by two-thirds before 2015?
- Mr David A. Gunnarsson (proposed by Iceland), live video link from Reykjavik - MP3
- Dr Pascoal Manuel Mocumbi (proposed by Mozambique) live video link from Maputo - MP3
- Dr Shigeru Omi (proposed by Japan) live video link from Geneva - MP3
- Professor Pekka Puska (proposed by Finland) live video link from Bucharest - MP3
- Dr Kazem Behbehani (proposed by Kuwait) (written submission read on his behalf) - MP3
- Dr Julio Frenk (proposed by Mexico) (submission to be arranged) - MP3
- Dr Nay Htun (proposed by Myanmar) (telephone interview 1 November 2006) - MP3
Question 3: While some regions in the world have started to stem the tide in the HIV/AIDS epidemic, no sub-Saharan African country is currently on target for achieving this MDG. With just over 10 per cent of the world's people, the region is home to nearly two-thirds of HIV-positive people and to 90 per cent of children under 15 living with the virus. What are the priorities in reversing this trend in Africa and what will you do to help these countries achieve this important MDG by 2015?
- Mr David A. Gunnarsson (proposed by Iceland), live video link from Reykjavik - MP3
- Dr Pascoal Manuel Mocumbi (proposed by Mozambique) live video link from Maputo - MP3
- Dr Shigeru Omi (proposed by Japan) live video link from Geneva - MP3
- Professor Pekka Puska (proposed by Finland) live video link from Bucharest - MP3
- Dr Kazem Behbehani (proposed by Kuwait) (written submission read on his behalf) - MP3
- Dr Julio Frenk (proposed by Mexico) (submission to be arranged) - MP3
- Dr Nay Htun (proposed by Myanmar) (telephone interview 1 November 2006) - MP3
Question 4: The first key recommendation from WHO's 2005 review of Progress towards the Health MDGs was "To strengthen health systems and ensure they are equitable". And in many parts of the world, lack of access to essential drugs is still a major barrier to care. What initiatives and partnerships do you see as most important to strengthen health systems and to provide equitable access to health services and essential drugs?
- Mr David A. Gunnarsson (proposed by Iceland), live video link from Reykjavik - MP3
- Dr Pascoal Manuel Mocumbi (proposed by Mozambique) live video link from Maputo - MP3
- Dr Shigeru Omi (proposed by Japan) live video link from Geneva - MP3
- Professor Pekka Puska (proposed by Finland) live video link from Bucharest - MP3
- Dr Kazem Behbehani (proposed by Kuwait) (written submission read on his behalf) - MP3
- Dr Julio Frenk (proposed by Mexico) (submission to be arranged) - MP3
- Dr Nay Htun (proposed by Myanmar) (telephone interview 1 November 2006) - MP3
Forum Running Order:
The WHO Director General Candidate Forum Running Order for Videoconference 30 October 2006 is listed below:
Confirmed Speakers (WHO Director General Candidates):
- Mr David A. Gunnarsson (proposed by Iceland)
- Dr Pascoal Manuel Mocumbi (proposed by Mozambique)
- Dr Shigeru Omi (proposed by Japan)
- Professor Pekka Puska (proposed by Finland)
Special Arrangements:
WHO Director General Candidates unable to participate as planned but providing replies to the four questions for inclusion in post-videoconference online materials.
- Dr Kazem Behbehani (proposed by Kuwait)
- Dr Julio Frenk (proposed by Mexico)
- Dr Nay Htun (proposed by Myanmar)
Other WHO Director General candidates (invited but not confirmed):
- Dr Margaret Chan (proposed by China)
- Dr Karam Karam (proposed by Syrian Arab Republic)
- Dr Bernard Kouchner (proposed by France)
- Dr Alfredo Palacio González (proposed by Ecuador, withdrawn)
- Ms Elena Salgado Méndez (proposed by Spain)
- Professor Dr Tomris Türmen (proposed by Turkey)
|
