SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS DR. DAVID NABARRO AS SENIOR UN SYSTEM COORDINATOR FOR AVIAN AND HUMAN INFLUENZA

SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS DR. DAVID NABARRO AS SENIOR

UN SYSTEM COORDINATOR FOR AVIAN AND HUMAN INFLUENZA

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has appointed Dr. David Nabarro as Senior United Nations System Coordinator for Avian and Human Influenza.

Dr. Nabarro is one of the most senior public health experts in the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Secretary-General is grateful to the Director-General, Dr. Lee Jong-Wook for seconding him to the United Nations.  He will be responsible for ensuring that the United Nations system makes an effective and coordinated contribution to the global effort to control the epidemic of avian influenza (or “bird flu”), which at present is particularly affecting countries in Asia.  He will also ensure that the United Nations system supports effective local, national, regional and global preparations for a potential human influenza pandemic -- so as to reduce the human toll, as well as the economic and social disruption, that this pandemic could cause.

The United Nations system’s efforts on influenza will reflect the technical guidance provided through the United Nations specialized agencies responsible for animal and human health (the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization).  It will respond to the needs and interests of national Governments and their peoples, and be undertaken in conjunction with the World Bank, other development banks, development agencies, non-governmental organizations, the Red Cross and Red Crescent movements, major private entities, the research and development community and all others with a stake in influenza-related issues.

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For information media • not an official record