In 2019 it was decided by the WHO’s South-East Asia group that India’s candidate will be elected to the Executive Board by May 2020. Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan who has been continuously working at the forefront to help curb the damage of the coronavirus in India has been appointed to take this position. Harsh Vardhan was appointed as the chairman of the 34-member WHO Executive Board on May 22, 2020. Harsh Vardhan becomes the chairman and succeeds Dr. Hiroki Nakatani of Japan.
The Executive Board is composed of 34 individuals, professionally in the field of health, each selected by a member-state, chosen by the World Health Assembly to do so. Member States are elected for mandates of three years. The Chairperson’s post is held for one year by rotation. It is not a full-time assignment and the minster is just required to chair the Executive Board’s meetings which take place twice a year. The Board’s key roles are to enact the Health Assembly’s decisions and policies and support its work.
Addressing the 73rd World Health Assembly via video conference on Monday, May 18th, Harsh Vardhan expressed his condolences to all the people who lost their lives due to COVID-19 and gave his gratitude to those who are working tirelessly in the frontline of this battle.
