WHO NEWS
WHO News Lee Jong-Wook takes office with pledge for results in countries
Dr Lee Jong-Wook took office as Director-General of WHO on 21 July. In a speech broadcast to WHO staff around the world, he committed the Organization to a new focus on HIV/AIDS control, "results in countries", and helping to tackle the widespread human resources crisis in the health sector.
"At the heart of [WHO's] vision," Dr Lee said, "is commitment to respect for all human beings. That commitment sustains every part of our work".
A specific aim of the new administration is to ensure access to antiretroviral treatment by the end of 2005 for three million of the people who need it in developing countries. A global plan for achieving this "three by five" goal in collaboration with UNAIDS and other partners will be announced on World AIDS Day, 1 December 2003.
The WHO departments working on HIV/AIDS will be brought into a new cluster which includes tuberculosis and malaria. This is aimed at coordinating WHO's activities in these areas and streamlining them with those of countries and partners such as the Global Fund. Building up national health systems will provide the means of controlling all three diseases.
Getting significant results in countries would be the direct and explicit aim of all WHO's work, Dr Lee said. To achieve this, a larger proportion than currently of WHO's resources will be channelled through WHO's 6 regional and 147 country offices. They will be used to build up national health work forces through innovative approaches to training and deployment. Among these will be a programme to involve talented young public health professionals from developing countries in WHO's work to prepare them for leadership positions.
The new head of WHO concluded by placing high priority on staff development at all levels of the Organization through enhanced teamwork, increased mobility, creative dialogue, improved management, and open-plan offices. He then introduced his new team of assistant directors-general and directors (see inset).
The text of Dr Lee's address is available at: http://www.who.int/dg/lee/ speeches/2003/21_07/en/ 
