Dr. Lee Jong-wook was a 23-year veteran of the agency dedicated to improving global health

TORONTO | Just as the World Health Organization’s(WHO)biggest meeting of the year was getting underway in Geneva last month, Dr. Lee Jong-wook, the agency’s director-general, died after undergoing emergency surgery for a subdural hematoma.

Dr. Lee, a 23-year veteran of WHO whose term as director-general began in July 2003 and was scheduled to run until 2008, was 61 years old and had been in good health, according to WHO statements.

He became ill at an official function, complaining of a severe headache. He later vomited, and paramedics took him to the Cantonal Hospital in Geneva where surgeons detected the blood clot and removed it.

However, Dr. Lee died in hospital on Monday, May 22.

His death was announced at the opening session of the World Health Assembly(WHA), the annual meeting of the organization’s 192 member states by Dr. Elena Salgado, Spain’s minister of health.

She called Dr. Lee “an exceptional person and an exceptional director-general.” The assembly then observed a two-minute silence and was suspended for 30 minutes.

The week-long meeting of the WHA then continued as scheduled.

Dr. Anders Nordström, who had been WHO’s assistant director-general for general management, was named acting director-general.

Dr. Nordström had been appointed by Dr. Lee as his deputy in November 2003, but the appointment stated he would not perform the functions of deputy director-general unless Dr. Lee was unable to perform the functions of his office.

The New York Times reported the agency’s executive board was expected to meet immediately to begin preparations to pick a successor to Dr. Lee.

“Those of us who knew Dr. Lee feel a tremendous sense of loss for the WHO and for the cause of health around the globe,” said Canada’s federal health minister Tony Clement.

“Having dealt with Dr. Lee, I can say how enormously we will miss his diplomacy, his dedication and his energy, as well as the great expertise gained through a lifetime of service to the WHO.”

Although Clement in his federal capacity had not yet worked with Dr. Lee, he did deal with him as Ontario’s health minister during the SARS crisis of 2003.

SARS marked the start of Dr. Lee’s term as WHO’s sixth director-general, a tenure that was seen by some as less successful than had been hoped, according to Dr. Lawrence Altman, the Times’ medical reporter.

In fact, some of those shortcomings were outlined in the speech Dr. Lee planned to give at the WHA, excerpts of which were delivered instead by Dr. Bill Kean, executive director of the director-general’s office at WHO.

His “3 by 5” initiative—launched by WHO and UNAIDS in 2003 to provide three million people living with HIV/ AIDS in low- and middle-income countries with antiretroviral treatment by the end of 2005—fell short of its goal; a key outcome was an international commitment to universal access by 2010, he said.

“Universal access,” his speech read, “means that no one should die because they can’t get drugs. It means that no one will miss being tested, diagnosed and treated because there aren’t clinics. It means that HIV-positive mothers will not unwittingly give a death sentence to their babies. Their parents will live to look after them instead of making them AIDS orphans.”

Polio was not eradicated as planned by 2005, and in his speech, Dr. Lee urged countries to redouble their efforts.

“The world has invested $4 billion US so far in polio eradication. I appeal to you all to continue your support, both political and financial, until the job is finished.

“Some have questioned whether polio eradication is possible. Let there be no doubt. We can do it. And we will.

“Clearly things are not going well with malaria control,” the speech added. “We accept our responsibility for this. Now is not the time for shyness. WHO will exercise much greater leadership in malaria control.”

Speaking of the importance of human and financial resources in improving global health, Dr. Lee also said “if a problem can be solved by money alone, it is not really a difficult problem.”

Dr. Lee is survived by his wife and a son. A WHO press release said his wife has asked that memorial donations be made to the project where she works, Socios En Salud in Lima, Peru, and that they can be made via the sister organization of Socios En Salud, Partners In Health, at www.pih.org. Tributes can be sent by e-mail to DrLee-tribute@who.int.