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April 22, 2003
HONOLULU - Current world events and the threat of new and emerging
diseases have underscored the need for a strong public health
infrastructure and strengthened cooperation of global and local
healthcare communities. The Hawaii State Department of Health is
pleased to welcome Dr. Jong-Wook Lee, Director-General elect of the
World Health Organization (WHO), to discuss severe acute respiratory
syndrome (SARS) and other public health issues facing the state.
An alumni of the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s School of
Public Health, Dr. Lee is scheduled to start his five-year term, as
WHO’s lead technical and administrative officer, in July. He was
born in Seoul, Republic of Korea in 1945, received a Medical Doctor
degree (M.D.) from Seoul National University and a Master of Public
Health degree from the University of Hawaii in 1981.
During Lee’s 19 year tenure at WHO much of his efforts focused
on leading the fight against tuberculosis and championing the
vaccination of children against preventable diseases. He headed the WHO
Global Program for Vaccines and Immunizations and served as a Senior
Policy Advisor. In 2000, he became Director of the Stop TB Program, a
coalition of more than 250 international partners including WHO member
states, donors, non-governmental organizations, industry and
foundations.
While in Honolulu, Dr. Lee will also be taking part in the
University of Hawaii’s Distinguished Lecture Series. He will
present "WHO In The New Millennium" on Thursday, April 24, in the Keoni
Auditorium of the East-West Center’s Hawai‘i Imin
International Conference Center. Sponsored by the University of
Hawai‘i at Mānoa Department of Microbiology and Department
of Public Health Sciences and Epidemiology. The lecture will begin at 7
p.m. preceded by a reception in the garden level at 6:30 p.m. The event
is free and open to the public.
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For more information, contact:
Janice Okubo
Communications Director
Phone: (808) 586-4442
E-mail: jsokubo@health.state.hi.us
Laura M. Lott
Information Specialist
Phone: (808) 586-4418
E-mail: lmlott@health.state.hi.us
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