Professor Philippe Douste Blazy, French government’s candidate for the post of the Director General of World Health Organisation visited Nepal

 Professor Philippe Douste-Blazy, French government’s candidate for the post of the Director General of World Health Organisation (WHO) at the election that will take place in 2017, paid an official visit to Nepal on October 17th.  Professor is currently the Special Advisor to the UN Secretary General on Innovative Financing for Development and has been a cardiologist and professor of medicine specialising in epidemiology and prevention.  He was also the Health Minister, Culture Minister and Foreign Minister of France.

 During his visit to Nepal, Prof. Douste-Blazy paid courtesy calls on Right President Bidhya Devi Bhandari and Minister for Health Gagan Thapa.  During his official meetings, Professor sought the Government of Nepal’s support for his candidacy as the next Director General of the WHO and talked about his priorities for the WHO: 1/ improving/strengthening the primary health care system, and 2/ more presence of WHO at the local level.  He also highlighted the need for a strong political leadership at the WHO, and the multi sectorial approach to resolving public health issues.

According to a press release issued by French Embassy, he also visited the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD) and met with Dr Bhim Acharya and his team and praised the works done by the EDCD.

 Professor was accompanied by Yves Carmona, French Ambassador to Nepal, Arnaud Champy, Deputy Chief of Mission, and Deepesh Bidari, Chargé de Mission during the meetings.