New Delhi: India’s Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan is likely to be elected as the next Chairman of the Executive Board of the World Health Organisation (WHO), according to media reports.
The Union Minister is expected to be elected as the Chairman at WHO’s Executive Board’s meeting on 22 May, succeeding Dr. Hiroki Nakatani of Japan.
The 194-nation World Health Assembly had on Tuesday signed the proposal to appoint India’s nominee to the 34-member Executive Board of the WHO, reports added.
In his new role, Dr. Vardhan will be mandated to ensure the implementation of the decisions taken by the World Health Assembly, which is the decision making body of the WHO.
He will also be closely working with the incumbent director-general of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
After the end of his one year tenure as WHA chairman, Dr Vardhan will continue to remain a member of the Assembly for two more years.
He will also have a say in shortlisting the next WHO director-general, reports further stated.