Poonam Khetrapal Singh is the first woman to become regional director of WHO South-East Asia Region.
The World Health Organization appointed Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh as its South-East Asia regional director for a second five-year term. The WHO Executive Board on Saturday unanimously endorsed Ms Khetrapal Singh, who was earlier unanimously nominated by 11 member-countries of the region for another five years.
Congratulating her, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, "The first woman to become Regional Director of WHO South-East Asia Region, you have provided dynamic leadership in a Region that accounts for a quarter of the world''s population but a disproportionate burden of diseases. Under your leadership, the Region has made remarkable progress."
In her acceptance speech, Dr Khetrapal Singh said, "It is a privilege to once again be appointed as Regional Director of WHO South-East Asia Region. The confidence you have reposed in me is humbling."
Outlining her vision for the second term that begins on February 1, Dr Khetrapal Singh said sustaining the gains, accelerating progress to finish the unfinished agenda and innovating would be the approach to ensure the well being of the 1.8 billion people across the South-East Asia region.
Her eight regional flagship priority programmes are aligned to WHO's global goals and health targets for Sustainable Development Goal 3.
"Ending TB will be difficult unless we develop and apply rapid diagnostics, which test and diagnose large populations in a short time," she added.