PETALING JAYA: Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has been elected as the vice-president of the 75th World Health Assembly (WHA) in 2022.

       Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said Khairy received unanimous support at the 72nd World Health Organisation’s regional committee meeting in Japan on the nomination, adding that the appointment was a great honour for Malaysia.

       "Today, I am pleased to announce that at the 72nd WHO RCM for the Western Pacific Region in Himeji Japan, YB Khairy Jamaluddin has been unanimously elected as the Vice President of the upcoming 75th WHA which will take place from 22-28 May 2022 in Geneva.

       "It is indeed a great honour for Malaysia to be accorded with the Vice Presidency of WHA and we will take this opportunity to pursue a bigger role in global health.

       "Coincidentally Malaysia is also serving in the executive board of the World Health Organisation from 2021 to 2024," said Dr Noor Hisham in a Twitter post Wednesday (Oct 27).

       Dr Noor Hisham added that Malaysia was given due recognition for its active role on the global health platform.

       In a response on Twitter, Khairy thanked the WHO Western Pacific region countries for unanimously nominating Malaysia as vice-president for the WHA 2022.

       "We will bring the voice of the Western Pacific to the world assembly especially on the principles of equity, solidarity and accountability," Khairy tweeted.

       Today I am pleased to announce that at the 72nd WHO RCM for the Western Pacific Region in Himeji Japan, YB Khairy Jamaluddin has been unanimously elected as the Vice President of the upcoming Seventy-fifth World Health Assembly which will take place from 22-28 May 2022 in Geneva pic.twitter.com/NcVcIxTygX

       — Noor Hisham Abdullah (@DGHisham) October 27, 2021