WHO director-general Chan nominated for second term

The WHO "said on Monday it has received just one application for the U.N. health agency's top post," which was submitted by China and nominated Margaret Chan, the current WHO director-general and former Hong Kong health chief, Agence France-Presse reports. "An executive board meeting in Geneva between January 16 and 23 will decide whether to put the name forward to the World Health Assembly in May, which would make the final decision regarding the appointment," the news agency writes (11/21).

Speaking at the Expert Panel on Maternal and Child Health in Quebec, Canada, on Monday, Chan "said ... that countries must make the health of women and children their highest priority" and "she will continue to focus the WHO's attention on mothers and young children," Xinhua reports. "The panel was established by the United Nations Commission on Information and Accountability for Women's and Children's Health Report," according to the news agency (11/21).