Chan says, "The people of Africa carry an enormous and disproportionate burden of ill health and premature death. The health of African people must therefore be a key indicator of the performance of WHO."
Chan made the statement to the top World Health Assembly that had just voted her as the new chief of WHO.
She stressed women's health must be the U.N. agency's other indicator for its work.
"I do not mean just maternal health. Women do much more than have babies. Their activities in households and communities, coupled with their low status, make them especially vulnerable to health problems, from indoor air pollution and multiple infectious diseases to violence," she explained.
The new chief adds, "Reducing health problems in women and empowering them will result in a dramatic increase in health-promoting behaviors, right where it counts most."
She adds the world is also challenged with other health problems including infectious diseases, pandemic preparedness, and others.
Chan is the first Chinese national to head a U.N. specialized body. She will begin her five-year tenure in WHO starting January 2007.
