Swede to head WHO

A Swede has taken over as head of the World Health Organization following the sudden death of the organization's director general Lee Jong-Wook.

Published: 22 May 2006 15:10 CEST

Anders Nordström Becomes Acting Director-General of the WHO. He has been deputy director general since November 2003.

Nordström, of Sweden graduated in medicine from Karolinska Institut.

He worked for the Swedish International Development Co-operation Agency (Sida) for 12 years, including four years as head of the organization’s Health Division.

According to the WHO, he has been heavily engaged in the global health policy dialogue with a special focus on health system and human resource issues.