New Delhi: Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan is at the forefront of India’s battle against COVID-19. Harsh Vardhan will take charge as the chairman of the 34-member WHO Executive Board later Friday, officials said. Vardhan would succeed Dr Hiroki Nakatani from Japan.
Vardhan nominated
The proposal to appoint India’s nominee to the executive board was signed Tuesday by the 194-nation World Health Assembly (WHA).
Last year, WHO’s South-East Asia group had unanimously decided to elect India’s nominee to the executive board. The term will be for three years beginning May.
The chairman’s post is held by rotation for one year among regional groups. It was decided last year that India’s nominee would be the executive board chairman for the first year starting Friday. It is not a full-time assignment. Vardhan will just be required to chair the executive board’s meetings, an official said.
Functions of executive board
The executive board comprises 34 individuals. They are technically qualified in the field of health. Each one is designated by a member-state elected to do so by the WHA. Member States are elected for three-year terms.
The board meets at least twice a year and the main meeting is normally in January. The second meeting is in May, immediately after the Health Assembly.
The main functions of the executive board are to give effect to the decisions and policies of the WHA. It also advises WHA and facilitates its functions.
Exuding confidence
Vardhan addressed the 73rd WHA meeting via video conferencing Monday. He said India took all the necessary steps well in time to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. He had asserted that the country has done well in dealing with the disease. Vardhan also exuded confidence that India would do better in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic in the days to come.
India is set to take over the chairmanship of the Executive Board amid turbulent times. US President Donald Trump has called to investigate how the coronavirus originated in China’s Wuhan city and subsequent action by Beijing.
PTI
