Minister Volda Lawrence elected to Executive Board of World Health Organisation

Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, has been elected to the Executive Board of the global World Health Organisation (WHO).

In a statement, the Ministry of Public Health said the election of Ms. Lawrence will give Guyana a voice in helping to shape global health policies.

The WHO Executive Board has oversight responsibility for implementing decisions and policies of the World Health Assembly (WHA) which is an advisory body to facilitate WHO’s work.

Minister Lawrence will serve in the position for the next three years.

The WHO Executive Board comprises 34 individuals and meets twice annually.

The 145th session of the Executive Board will meet in Geneva next week for a two-day meeting.

“The honour of serving in this esteemed position affords Guyana the opportunity to shape global and regional health policies and to bring more health-system resources to Guyana and the region of the Americas, thereby improving health care access and services to all its residents,” Guyana’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office and International Organisations, Geneva John R.D. Ford said in a statement announcing Lawrence’s election to WHO body.

Minister Lawrence is currently attending her third World Health Assembly conference and has helped establish Guyana “as a strong advocate for Universal Health Care to bring improved access and quality health care to all Guyana’s citizens, especially those most vulnerable,” according to the Guyanese rep to the UN Office.