Haiti has nominated Dr. Florence Duperval Guillaume, a former acting prime minister and former minister of public health and population, for the position of director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
Ministers of Health and other high-level representatives from countries and territories of the Americas will meet September 26 to 30 to elect a new director to replace Dominica’s Dr. Carissa Etienne
Dr. Florence Duperval Guillaume is among six candidates vying for the position with the others coming from Brazil, Panama, Mexico, Colombia, and Uruguay.
PAHO said the detailed curriculum vitae presented by each candidate and letters of nomination have been sent to PAHO member states, participating states and associate members.
“The conference will elect the director from among the nominated candidates by secret ballot. The candidate who receives the majority of votes from member states will be elected,” it said, adding that in accordance with PAHO’s Constitution, the director will serve a five-year term and may be re-elected once. The elected person will take office on February 1, 2023 and complete his or her term January 31, 2028.
PAHO is the specialized health agency of the Inter-American System and serves as the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Americas. This year, PAHO marks its 120th anniversary of active work in promoting health and wellbeing throughout the region.
Dr. Etienne was elected for a second term as the PAHO director in 2017, during the 29th Pan American Sanitary Conference. She began her second five-year term on February1, 2018.
PAHO said its Pan American Sanitary Conference is the organization’s highest decision-making body, meeting every five years to determine general policies of the organization to improve the health and well-being of the population in the region.
Dominica’s President Charles Savarin, as well as Dr. Etienne will be among the speakers on the opening day.
During the week-long conference, PAHO says a number of reports will be presented and discussed, including the “Strategy and Plan of Action on Psychoactive Substance Use and Public Health” and “Plan of Action to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol.”
CMC/
