Uton reappointed WHO regional chief

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian Uton Mochtat Rafei was reelected Southeast Asia regional director of the World Health Organization (WHO) in New Delhi, India, last month.

Uton was selected over competitors from Bhutan, Korea, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand in the WHO annual meeting on Sept. 7 to Sept. 12, said Broto Wasisto, an expert staff member of the Ministry of Health.

He will serve his second period as regional director of WHO from Mar. 1, 1999, to Mar. 1, 2004. He was the first Indonesian to become WHO regional director in 1994 and he was also a contender in the election of the WHO director to replace Japan's Hiroshi Nakajima. He was defeated by former Norwegian prime minister Gro Harlem Brundtland.

Before his first term, Uton won acclaim for his work in the campaign against polio and intestinal worms infection in South Asian countries.

He has promoted the "Health for All" strategy, Broto said. The campaign has helped overcome poor health conditions in developing countries.

"He is an expert in public health with strong vision on health development in developing countries," Broto said.

Uton, who began his career in WHO in 1981 as regional adviser of Public Health, was formerly the organization's health infrastructure system director in India. (01)