Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan took charge as the chairman of the WHO Executive Board on Friday and asserted that a worldwide crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the need for strengthening global partnerships to re-energise investment in global public health.
Vardhan's elevation to the chairmanship of the 34-member World Health Organisation (WHO) Executive Board comes amid growing calls, including by US President Donald Trump, to investigate how coronavirus originated in China's Wuhan city and subsequent action by Beijing.
Tensions are running high within the UN health body after Trump warned WHO that he would reconsider America's membership and "permanently freeze" the body's funding if it does not demonstrate its "independence" from China in the next 30 days.
Vardhan, who succeeded Dr Hiroki Nakatani from Japan, paid tribute to the lakhs of people who have lost their lives due to the global COVID-19 pandemic and also requested all dignitaries present on the occasion to give a standing ovation to all the frontline health workers and other "COVID warriors by saluting their dignity, determination and dedication".
Vardhan was elected as the Chair of the Executive Board of World Health Organization for the year 2020-21 during the 147th session of the board in a meeting that was held virtually.
The proposal to appoint India's nominee to the executive board was signed by the 194-nation World Health Assembly on Tuesday.
At the 72nd Regional Committee Session of WHO South-East Asia in September 2019, member states had nominated India to be member of the WHO Executive Board from the Region to replace Sri Lanka whose term expired in May 2020 and also to lead 147th and 148th Sessions of the Executive Board as Chairperson.
Congratulating Vardhan, Regional Director for WHO South-East Asia Poonam Khetrapal Singh, said, "Dr Harsh Vardhan has assumed this post at a very challenging time. I wish him all the best in steering the executive board as it addresses this defining pandemic and other public health issues."
Noting that COVID-19 is a great human tragedy and the next two decades may see many such challenges, he said, "All these challenges demand a shared response, as these are shared threats requiring a shared responsibility to act."
"While this is the core philosophy of our alliance of member nations that comprise WHO, however, it needs a greater degree of shared idealism of nations."
Sharing India's experience in combating COVID-19, he said the nation has only 3 per cent mortality rate and with 1.35 billion people, there are only 0.1 million COVID-19 cases. "The recovery rate is above 40 per cent and the doubling rate is 13 days."
"I will put myself to work to realise the collective vision of our organisation, to build the collective capacity of all our member nations and also build a heroic collective leadership."
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