Following Solomon Islands adoption and confirmation as the WPRO Member, representing the 22 Pacific Islands countries and territories on the WHO Executive Board, Solomon Islands Minister of Health and Medical Services Hon. Dr Paul Popora Bosawai attended his first Board meeting on the 28th of May 2025. This is the 157th session of the Executive Board (EB) and Solomon Islands term will run for 3 years ending in mid-2028.
One of the agendas in the first day of the EB meeting was the election of the new Regional Director for the African Region of WHO, Professor Mohamed Yakub Janabi, from Tanzania. In his first intervention, Minister Bosawai, speaking on behalf of the Western Pacific Regional Office (WPRO), congratulated Professor Janabi on his election as the new Regional Director for the African Region and acknowledged Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu for his service in steering the Regional Office during the transition period following the end of the term of former Regional Director, Dr Matshidiso Moeti between 2015 and 2024.
The Executive Board has 34 members representing all regions of the WHO members elected for three-year terms. The Board meets twice a year with the first held in late January early February when Board members decide on the agenda for and resolutions to be considered by the Health Assembly in May.
The second meeting takes place in May-June, after the World Health Assembly has met. The main functions of the Board are to implement the decisions and policies of the Health Assembly, and advise and generally to facilitate its work.
The Minister of Health is accompanied by the Permanent Secretary of Health, Mrs Pauline McNeil at the Executive Board meeting that ended on Thursday, 29th May 2025.
– MHMS
