KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has been elected vice-president of the 75th World Health Assembly (WHA) that will convene in Geneva next year.
The WHA comprises 194 member states and is the highest decision-making body governing the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The decision was made during a closed-door session this morning at the 72nd World Health Organisation Western Pacific Region Committee Meeting (WPRCM) that will take place until Friday (Oct 29) in Himeji, Japan.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, in a tweet today, thanked all the WHO Pacific Region member countries for unanimously nominating Malaysia for the role.
"Thank you to all the @WHOWPRO countries for unanimously nominating Malaysia as Vice President for the World Health Assembly 2022.
"We will bring the voice of the Western Pacific to the world assembly especially on the principles of equity, solidarity and accountability," he said.
Besides Malaysia, the WHO Western Pacific Region comprise 36 other member countries that include Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan, Brunei, Cambodia, China and the Philippines.
Meanwhile, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah pledged that Malaysia will use its new role to play a greater part in global health.
"It is indeed a great honour for Malaysia to be accorded with the vice-presidency of WHA and we will take this opportunity to pursue a bigger role in global health.
"Coincidentally, Malaysia is also serving in the executive board of the World Health Organisation from 2021 to 2024," he tweeted.
The Health Ministry, in a statement today said, Khairy will join another four vice-presidents who will represent their respective regions to the 75th WHA that will take place from May 22 to 28 next year in Geneva, Switzerland.
"This appointment is a great privilege for Malaysia, especially for the Health Ministry and all frontliners who have sacrificed their time and energy throughout the Covid-19 pandemic," the ministry said.
China served as WHA's vice-president in 2020 while Mongolia is the world health body's current vice-president.
Malaysia has served as the WHA's vice-president twice before in 2004 and 2016, during the tenure of former Health Ministers Tan Sri Dr Chua Soi Lek and Datuk Seri Dr S.Subramaniam, respectively.