description Margaret Chan Overview
Margaret Chan is a Chinese-Canadian public health official who served as the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) from 2006 to 2017. Before her tenure at the WHO, she was the Director of Health in Hong Kong, where she managed the local response to major outbreaks including SARS and the H5N1 avian influenza. During her time as Director-General, she oversaw the global health responses to the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic and the 2014 Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa. She was the first person from China to head a major United Nations agency.
help Margaret Chan FAQ
When was Margaret Chan Director-General of the WHO?
Margaret Chan served as Director-General of the World Health Organization from 2006 to 2017. She succeeded Lee Jong-wook and was followed by Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
What public health work did Margaret Chan do before leading the WHO?
She joined Hong Kong's Department of Health in 1978 and became its Director of Health in 1994. In that role, she managed responses to the 2003 SARS outbreak and avian influenza.
Why is Margaret Chan associated with SARS?
Chan became internationally known for leading Hong Kong's public health response during the SARS crisis. The WHO specifically described her as the official who fought SARS and avian influenza in Hong Kong.
Which global health crises occurred during Margaret Chan's WHO tenure?
Her 2006 to 2017 tenure included the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic and the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Those crises kept outbreak preparedness and emergency coordination at the center of her leadership.
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