Brief introduction of Margaret Chan

Source: CCTV.com | 11-08-2006 16:58

To learn more about Dr. Margaret Chan, we now take a quick look at her life and career as a health official.

In July, the Chinese government recommended Margaret Chan to head the World Health Organization.

For many, this came as no surprise.

Margaret Chan's career in public health began in 1978, when she joined the Hong Kong Department of Health where she served for 25 years.

And for nine of those years she was the department's director. During her tenure, she helped control outbreaks of bird flu in 1997 and managed the SARS crisis in 2003.

Dr. Chan started her work in the WHO in 2003, and in 2005, she was appointed as Representative of the Director-General for Pandemic Influenza.

Dr. Chan says if her candidacy is successful, she will focus on helping poor countries improve public health and systems to prevent communicable diseases.

The two issues are two of the big challenges currently facing the WHO.

Editor:Sun Luying