WHO recognised need for an Indian voice: Soumya Swaminathan

Oct 07, 2017, 07.01 AM IST 

Soumya Swaminathan, the newly appointed deputy director general of World Health Organisation, would have to think globally once she assumes office at the UN agency, but she also looks forward to working closely with India, particularly in innovation and affordable technologies. 


No Indian has held such a high position in WHO before, but Swaminathan, daughter of MS Swaminathan who changed the face of Indian agriculture with green revolution, considers her appointment a recognition of India's importance. 

"I don't take it as a personal recognition, but really a recognition (that)...an Indian voice should be there in the WHO," she told ET in her office at Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). 

It's a busy day for her, going through stacks of papers and documents, many of which she may want to take a decision on before she steps down as director general of ICMR and secretary at the Indian Department of Health Research. The only time she takes a break is when she asks one of her staff to remove the cellophane wrappings from the bouquets of flowers she has been receiving in congratulations for her new role. The flowers need to be placed in vases with water so that they are better cared for, she explains to him. 

Having spent just two years at the organisation, Swaminathan's tenure was shorter than the 10 ICMR director generals that served before her. "To be honest, a part of me is also a little sad that my time at ICMR is ending so soon. There's a lot I had planned," she said. 

Having spent just two years at the organisation, Swaminathan's tenure was shorter than the 10 ICMR director generals that served before her. "To be honest, a part of me is also a little sad that my time at ICMR is ending so soon. There's a lot I had planned," she said. 

But she is excited about her new global role and the challenges and opportunities it brings. Swaminathan's role as deputy director general (DDG) would be to assist WHO director general Tedros Adhanom by overseeing the technical work of the organisation to ensure it has the right impact. This means coordinating with WHO's technical departments and clusters looking after issues like communicable and non-communicable diseases to ensure there is unity and synergy among them so that work is not duplicated, she said.

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