Public health round-up

The process to elect a new DirectorGeneral of the World Health Organization (WHO) has started with a new code of conduct, new forums for candidates to interact with Member States and a new electronic voting system to promote transparency and fairness. The race began on 22 April, when WHO’s 194 Member States were invited to propose candidates. Their proposals will be made public on 23 September. In October, officials from Member States will be given the opportunity to ask the candidates questions and have virtual discussions with them in a protected web forum hosted on the WHO website. It will be broadcast through a protected website for representatives of Member States and Associate Members who cannot attend. The candidates will then be invited to present their vision in person to representatives of WHO Member States and Associate Members and answer questions during a candidates’ forum of a maximum of three days in November held at WHO headquarters. Using a new electronic voting system, WHO’s Executive Board will draw up a short list of up to five candidates in January 2017 based on one or more secret ballots. Members of the Executive Board will then interview these candidates and nominate up to three of them to go forward to the World Health Assembly (WHA) in May 2017 for the final round of voting. Previously, only one nomination was submitted by WHO’s Executive Board to the World Health Assembly. The WHA will consider the Executive Board’s nomination at a private meeting and come to a decision by secret ballot. Dr Margaret Chan, who was elected Director-General in 2006, will complete her second term on 30 June 2017 and the new Director-General will take office the next day. The new code of conduct guides the behaviour and roles of Member States, candidates and the WHO Secretariat during the electoral process. It calls for openness, dignity, equity and good faith, as well as financial disclosure and avoidance of conflicts of interest. http://apps.who.int/gb/ep/