Press Information
Margaret Chan, Director General, World Health Organization
to be ICN Nursing Conference Keynote Speaker
Geneva, 30 April 2015 – Dr Margaret Chan, Director General of the
World Health Organization (WHO) will give the keynote address at the
International Council of Nurses (ICN) Conference in Seoul, Republic of
Korea, 19-23 June 2015.
“We are immensely delighted that Dr Chan has accepted to be our
keynote speaker,” said Judith Shamian, ICN President. “At this time of
growing emphasis on Universal Health Coverage, noncommunicable
disease, the post-2015 agenda and other global concerns, nurses are
playing a growing role in building healthy communities and healthy nations. Dr. Chan been a
strong voice on the importance of nurses, midwives, primary care and collaboration among
healthcare workers, governments, NGOs, public and private sector. Her message to
thousands of nurses present will reaffirm once again the importance of nursing and health
and WHOs contribution to global health”
Dr Chan obtained her medical degree from the University of Western Ontario in Canada. In
1978, she joined the Hong Kong Department of Health, where her career in public health
began. In 1994, Dr Chan was appointed Director of Health of Hong Kong. In 2003, Dr Chan
joined WHO as Director of the Department for Protection of the Human Environment. In June
2005, she was appointed Director, Communicable Diseases Surveillance and Response as
well as Representative of the Director-General for Pandemic Influenza. In September 2005,
she was named Assistant Director-General for Communicable Diseases. Dr Chan was
elected to the post of Director-General on 9 November 2006. The Assembly appointed her
for a second five-year term at its 65th session in May 2012.
Approximately seven thousand participants will attend the ICN Conference in Korea, with the
theme Global Citizen, Global Nursing. This international gathering of nurses will explore the
importance of cross-cultural understanding and global cooperation in nursing. The
Conference will provide opportunities for nurses to build relationships and to disseminate
nursing knowledge and leadership across specialties, cultures and countries. The three ICN
pillars – Professional Practice, Regulation and Socio-Economic Welfare – will frame the
scientific programme and the dynamic exchange of experiences and expertise.
Plenary speakers at this event include Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHO Regional Director
for South East Asia; Dr Jim Campbell, Executive Director of the Global Health Workforce
Alliance and Director of the WHO’s Health Workforce; Dr Sheila Tlou, a nurse and Director of
the UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Eastern & Southern Africa; Dr Agnes Soucat, Global
Solutions Leader for Health Service Delivery at the World Bank; and Dr. Heimar de Fatima
Marin, a nurse and professor at the Federal University of Saõ Paulo, Brazil.
The Conference will also provide the opportunity for the global nursing community to
deliberate on important health and nursing issues during the 17 main sessions, 7 workshops,
116 concurrent sessions, 42 symposia and 137 posters, and will be the venue for ICN
Network meetings.
More information on the ICN Conference in Seoul, Republic of Korea can be found on
www.icn2015.com
Note for Editors
The International Council of Nurses (ICN) is a federation of more than 130 national nurses
associations representing the millions of nurses worldwide. Operated by nurses and leading nursing
internationally, ICN works to ensure quality care for all and sound health policies globally.
For further information contact Lindsey Williamson at: media@icn.ch
Tel: +41 22 908 0100; Fax: +41 22 908 0101, www.icn.ch
ICN/PR2015 #09
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