Washington, D.C., May 22, 2006 – The American Public Health Association (APHA) and the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA) today mourn the passing of Lee Jong-Wook, MD, MPH, who championed the health of people across the globe as director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO).
“Prior to joining WHO, Dr. Lee was already renowned for his dedication to protecting people around the world from the threat of infectious and chronic diseases,” said Georges C. Benjamin, MD, FACP, executive director of the American Public Health Association. “As the head of WHO, Dr. Lee further advocated for public health concerns across the spectrum, from tuberculosis and tobacco control to providing global leadership on preparedness for avian influenza and a prevention strategy to address the cancer health crisis. The loss of Dr. Lee carries profound repercussions for the international public health community.”
Barbara J. Hatcher, PhD, MPH, RN, interim secretary general of the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA) said the “global public health community is saddened by the loss of this great leader. As director general, Dr. Lee was addressing some of the most important global issues of our time and transforming the WHO to better deal with them,” Hatcher said. “On behalf of the 70 organizations that are members of the WFPHA, we extend our condolences to Dr. Lee's family.”
The WFPHA is an international, nongovernmental organization of 70 public health associations from around the world. WFPHA brings health workers throughout the world together for professional exchange, collaboration and action, and it enjoys official relations with the World Health Organization. More information is available at WFPHA.