Interview: "Wish the world safer from disease"

Upon arriving in Shanghai, the World Health Organization Director-General Lee Jong-Wook took a bicycle tour in the city. Free from SARS and avian influenza, China's economic hub Shanghai gave him a break from dealing with global health problems.

Lee's term has been a difficult one. He was officially elected in May 2003 when the whole world was in a panic over SARS. Several months later, avian flu swept through Asia. All the while, HIV/AIDS epidemic is far from solved.

"Clearly, there are many challenges. Maybe that's why they elected me," Lee, who is in Shanghai for the 55th session of WHO Regional Committee of the Western Pacific, said.

The Republic of Korea doctor received his medical degree from the Seoul National University Medical School and a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Hawaii. He began his WHO career in 1983.

After taking post as WHO Director-General, Lee has been working to strengthen the global disease warning network.

"We cannot predict what kind of new diseases will come up. But what we can be sure is that when it comes out, we are able to know and come up with solutions very quickly. This is the alert network of the WHO, and I hope the member states have it, too," he said.

With emerging zoonotic diseases, diseases which transfer from animals to humans, Lee is also worried about animal health.

"If we respect the natural habit of animals, probably the diseases like the mad cow disease will not cause such a big problem," he said.

Regarding AIDS, he seemed to be a bit more worried. In September 2003, he and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan jointly proposed the "3 by 5" program, setting the global target of ensuring 3 million AIDS patients to receive anti-retroviral drug therapy by 2005.

"To many it seemed like an over-ambitious idea one year ago, now it is a strong commitment made by many countries, organizations and individuals," Lee said. "To speculate about whether we will meet the deadline is to miss the point. The point in the AIDS treatment emergency is the same as in other emergencies: to do as much as is humanly possible to save lives and reduce danger in the shortest possible time."

Lee said globally almost 20 billion dollars have been pledged for integrated AIDS prevention and care during the next five years. At the same time, drug prices continue to fall, with the lowest price triple-drug regimen nearing $140 per person per year.

"HIV treatment is now financially within reach for more countries, and more people, than ever before," he said.

Lee said he'd been to China for many times, but he still feels that he doesn't understand the complexities of the country.

He said China both produces and consumes a lot of tobacco. The WHO hopes that China will ratify Framework Convention for Tobacco Control, which it has already signed. He said that he hopes China will work with the WHO to prevent communicable diseases, chronic diseases and improve children's health.

Having worked in technical, managerial and policy positions at all levels in the WHO, Lee was seen as "a visionary leader and strong manager" by his colleagues.

"Like all my predecessors, after I finish my five-year term I'd like to see the world becomes a safer place from the disease, and people live longer and healthier. That is my dream," said Lee at the end of the interview.