Islamabad - Pakistan has been elected as chair of the World Health Organization (WHO) Executive Board, a body which facilitates World Health Assembly (WHA) in devising policies of the World Health Forum, an official said on Saturday.

“The election was held on June 1 in Geneva where Director General Health Dr Asad Hafeez was elected as chairman of the board. He has also assumed the charge of the office,” Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Spokesperson Sajid Shah said.

As per the statement issued by the ministry, Pakistan was elected during the 141st session of the group.

The group is considered the highest global policy forum on health comprising of 34 members countries.

The main functions of the executive board are to advise and facilitate the WHA and to give effect to the decisions and policies of the forum comprising 194 member countries.

The WHO Executive Board is composed of 34 individuals technically qualified in the field of health, each one designated by a member state elected by the WHA. Member states are elected for a three-year term.

The election was held in two layers, where the first phase was held at the regional level while the final phase at the global forum.

Pakistan was first elected by a group of 22 countries comprising the Eastern Mediterranean Region and later at the global forum by the executive board comprising 34 countries.

The board meets at least twice a year. The annual board meeting is held in January when the member countries agree upon the agenda for the WHA and the resolutions to be considered by the Health Assembly with a second shorter meeting in May.

Minister for Health Saira Afzal Tarar in her statement congratulated the nation and said it was indeed a great honour for Pakistan and recognition of the important role the country was playing in the global health arena.

She said that Pakistan had been chosen earlier as the host of the prestigious regional conference of health ministers being held in October that will bring together health ministers from 22 countries in South Asia, Middle East, West Asia and North Africa.

Pakistan has previously served as vice chair of the executive board and is also a member of the board of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, the minister further said.

Earlier, Pakistani delegation in the WHA had also offered assistance to other countries for providing technical support in controlling the spread of epidemics across the border.