Margaret Chan takes office as WHO chief

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Source: CCTV.com | 01-04-2007 14:08

Doctor Margaret Chan is officially starting as Director-General of the World Health Organization today. She is the first Chinese to head a UN agency.

Margaret Chan, said, "My heart committed to the populations of your countries. Thank you, merci and xiexie."

Fifty nine-year-old Dr. Margaret Chan was born in Hong Kong and started working for the World Health Organization in 2003.

Chan says her top priority is to improve the health of Africans and of women.

She gave 25 years of service within Hong Kong's Department of Health And for nine of those years, she was the department's Director.

During her tenure, Chan helped control the 1997 outbreaks of bird flu and managed the SARS crisis in 2003.

She also launched new services to prevent disease, and for the promotion of better health.

Margaret Chan's term will run until the end of June 2012.

Editor:Du Xiaodan