The Caribbean Program Co-ordination Office of the Pan American Health Organization and the World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) opened a condolence book last week at its Dayrellâs Road, St. Michael, Barbados office in memory of the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Lee Jong-Wook, who died on last week Monday morning, May 22, 2006 following a short illness.{{more}}
In her message to Dr. Lee’s family and other colleagues in the WHO, the Caribbean Programme Co-ordinator, Veta Brown, lauded the late Director General for his support to Caribbean countries served by the OCPC. The CPC said that Dr. Lee’s advocacy for a coordinated approach to health development at the country level contributed significantly to the formulation of the recently developed Eastern Caribbean Co-operation Strategy (ECCS) which is designed to intensify the Organization’s response to the health needs of the countries.
Following the announcement of Dr. Lee’s death by the WHO, messages have poured into the WHO headquarters in Geneva from around the world.
In his message, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, described Dr. Lee as “a man of conviction and passion”, and said that “the world has lost a great man.”
Dr. Mirta Roses, Director of the Pan American Health Organization, regional office for the Americas of the World Health Organization, described Dr. Lee’s passing as “devastating.”
The PAHO Director ordered that flags be flown at half staff and that PAHO staff members at its Washington headquarters and its 27 country offices observed a moment of silence in remembrance of Dr. Lee. Dr. Lee was the first UN agency head from the Republic of Korea. He began his five-year term as Director-General of WHO on July 21, 2003.
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