ISLAMABAD: World Health Organization (WHO) needs to reclaim its primacy, earn the world’s trust as a leading health agency, and should have the ability to coordinate and lead partnerships to achieve universal attainment of the highest possible level of health for the people of the world.
This was stated by Dr Sania Nishtar, a Pakistani cardiologist and former federal minister for science and a nominee for the slot of Director General, WHO, while addressing at a function titled, “Meeting with the Candidates for WHO Director General”, organized by Science Po of France in Paris, today.
Minister of State for Development and Francophonie of France Dr Jean-Marie Le Guen, faculty and students of Science Po, intellectuals and health scientists also graced the occasion with their presence.
Dr Sania said that having given the chance to lead the WHO she would reclaim WHO’s primacy by embracing meaningful transparency and accountability and will lead with impartially by focussing on attainment of WHO’s core and exclusive mandates.
She said that as a director-general, she will strive to ensure that WHO is an effective, well-managed, transparent, accountable and cohesive organization, which achieves value for money and where robust evidence guides decision-making.
Dr Sania said that WHO’s financial, technical, institutional and technological capacity will be sharpened to detect, lead, manage and coordinate the response to outbreaks and emergencies by supporting countries with the objective to enhance their preparedness and resilience to health issues.
She emphasized that WHO’s operational readiness is necessary to provide countries with country relevant technical support to achieve the SGD’s and technical and political activation to support the implementation of the sustainable development goals
Dr Sania Nishtar of Pakistan is amongst the three candidates shortlisted for the highest post at the World Health Organization (WHO). The other candidates on the run are Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of Ethopia and David Nabarro of UK.
These candidates until the election in May 2017, will campaign to get as many of WHO’s 194 member states as possible on their side.
Dr Sania Nishtar throughout her career has demonstrated her commitment to the principles of WHO. She is deeply familiar with the workings of WHO and has served the organization at all levels including as co-chair of a WHO commission, as multilateral negotiator of WHO resolutions, as member of expert panels and taskforces.
150 year old Sciences Po is an international research university of France which currently imparts diploma and degree courses in various disciplines to the students of France and students coming from over 150 different countries.
