The Executive Board began its 120th Session with reports from the Director-General, Dr. Margaret Chan, and from Dr. Anders Nordström, acting Director-General until 3 January, 2007. In her speech to the Board, Dr. Chan said she was "holding discussions with Regional Directors on ways of improving the way the Organization functions across all levels, including the country offices."
On Friday afternoon, Dr. Chan held her first full meeting with the Regional Directors as Director-General. In her speech, Dr. Chan called the meeting "constructive and very interactive." The group discussed several topics, including Dr. Chan's vision for WHO, after the meeting the Regional Directors agreed that there will now regular meetings between the Director-General and the Regional Directors.
PAHO participation
Dr. Roses, PAHO's Director headed the PAHO's delegation that participates in the 120th WHO Executive Board.
During the celebration of the WHO Executive Board, the Director covered an intense agenda of work, and was serving several activities and meetings with the Director-General of WHO, Dr. Margaret Chan, as well as with the Assistants of the Director General and the Regional Directors of WHO.
Dr. Roses was offering a working lunch to the members of the WHO Executive Board for the Americas, and had a meeting with the Secretary of Health of Mexico, Dr. Córdova Villalobos.
There have been reviewed several important subjects; the Ministerial Conference in Oral Health in the Americas, the 30x15 Meeting on Primary Health Care, as well as the Healthy Urbanization Project in Santiago, Chile, among others.
In the first week, Mr. Michael Boorstein, Director of Administration of PAHO, participated in several meetings of the area of administration, and joined the Director in the sessions of the Executive Board.
The Executive Board is composed of 34 individuals technically qualified in the field of health, each one designated by a Member State elected to do so by the World Health Assembly. Member States are elected for three-year terms.
