HEALTH Secretary Teodoro Herbosa yesterday pushed for the nomination of Susan Mercado as regional director World Health Organization’s Western Pacific Regional Office.
Mercado is known as an established female public health leader, having served as undersecretary of the Department of Health (1997-2001), special envoy of the President for Global Health Initiatives (2018-2022), and director of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation Board (2019-2020). She is now serving as special adviser to the DOH.
In the WHO, Mercado has served for a total of 15 years, including stints as first WHO director for Non-Communicable Disease and Health (2013-2017), regional coordinator of the Tobacco Free Initiative and Western Pacific Focal Point for the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (2008-2012).
Herbosa, in social media post, said, “As the secretary of Health, I am proud to endorse the most competent, qualified, and experienced candidate for WHO RD WPRO, to be the first woman RD of our Region.”
Herbosa’s endorsement comes as the region’s member-states are set to vote to nominate the next regional director in a closed meeting during the 74th Session of the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific scheduled October 16 to 20 in Manila.
Aside from Mercado, also among contenders are Song Li of China, Jimmie Rodgers of Solomon Islands, Saia Ma’u Puikala of Tonga, and Tran Thi Gian Huong of Vietnam.
The nomination of the region’s member-states will be submitted for appointment by the 154th Session of the WHO Executive Board scheduled Jan. 22 to 27, 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland.
The new director will assume office on Feb. 1, 2024 and serve a five-year term.
The post of WHO-WPRO chief is currently held by Acting Regional Director Zsuzsanna Jakab, who was designated back in March 2023.
