Candidates for the top post in world health – the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) - took part on Sunday 19 January 2003 in a two-hour question and answer session open to the public and linked across the world via video and teleconferencing.

Photo of part of the audience in Geneva A broad coalition involving more than 300 civil society organisations co-sponsored the event. Funded by the UK-based Exchange programme, the Geneva-based NGO (non-governmental organisation) Forum for Health, and the Kaiser Family Foundation, it was organised by the Interactive Health Network’s World Health Channel.

"This was a unique opportunity for health ministers, civil society organisations and others with an interest in health to ask candidates to address publicly the critical issues in global health today."
Andrew Chetley, Director of Exchange

The videoconference was broadcast on the Internet and globally via the WorldSpace satellite system – a unique technology that allows access to areas of the world with no internet access or telecommunications infrastructure. It was rebroadcast throughout Brazil by Canal Saude and throughout Africa on the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association's radio network.

During the event, listeners and viewers had the opportunity to e-mail questions to the candidates. Unanswered questions will be forwarded to the successful candidate and the replies posted on the Exchange and IHN websites.

The candidates were asked a series of questions from audiences in Geneva and around the world. International links included the Nelson Mandela School of Medicine and the Medical Research Council in South Africa, the World Bank Institute and the George Washington University in the USA, Canal Saude (Health Channel) in Brazil, and health experts in Ethiopia, India, Japan and Sweden.

During the event, it was announced that Awa Marie Coll-Seck, the Health Minister of Senegal was withdrawing from the race. Of the remaining seven candidates, one was not able to attend due to illness (Dr Karam Karam from Lebanon). A statement from Dr Karam was read out during the broadcast. Three other candidates informed the organisers at the last minute that they would not be able to attend due to unforeseen circumstances. These were: Julio Frenk, Health Minister of Mexico; Dr Peter Piot, the Belgian director of UNAIDS; and Jong Wook Lee, a South Korean doctor who heads WHO's programme to stop tuberculosis.

The candidates who took part were:

Pascoal Manuel Mocumbi, Prime Minister and former Health Minister of Mozambique

Ismail Sallam, professor of cardiac surgery who was until recently Egypt’s Minster of Health and Population

Joseph Williams, medical doctor, parliamentarian and former Prime Minister of the Cook Islands.

The WHO Executive Board met between 20-28 January and nominated Dr Jong Wook Lee to be the next Director-General. See the WHO website for further details. The nomination is expected to be confirmed by WHO’s 192 member states at its assembly in May 2003. (See Opening up decision making, for a description of how the final choice will be made.)

More information on the issues

British Medical Journal
http://www.bmj.com

The Lancet
http://www.thelancet.com

The event was organized by the Interactive Health Network’s World Health Channel and supported by Exchange, the NGO Forum for Health and the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Other co-sponsors include the International eHealth Association, Canal Saude (Brazil’s health channel), the People’s Health Movement, the Academy of International Health Philanthropy, the International Hospital Federation, Healthlink Worldwide, Medact, Panos Institute (London), Communication Initiative and the International People’s Health Council.

Commercial sponsors included World Space and Direct Visual.

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